Imperfection
by brandirandom21
Summary: I just wanted to understand my abilites, strengths and weaknesses. Turned out that someone else was thinking just the same thing. *R&R*
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: I've never owned Ben 10 and I never will. So there MoA. Hope you're happy.

A/N: There's been a lot of rumors about the new episode coming up on the 4th. People are saying that it's going to have Elena's first animated appearence, and others say that Gwen's curious about her abilites. So we'll see.

When I was thinking about the new episode, this idea came up in my head. So I hope you like it :D

_Prolouge_

It was such a shame. Such a fragile soul, easily persuaded and trustworthy. I had sensed at first that she was going to look into our relationship a little bit more cautiously, but she trusted me quickly. She seemed like such a smart girl, but of course, she was still a human girl. As every other human, she was imperfect. She found me as someone loyal and someone that could be a true friend.

She should have listened to that boy.

The softness of her skin had vanished, the skin now graying and peeling. Her long, vibrant scarlet hair had paled, mixed with grime and dirt. Her strong voice was now raspy and weak, her body quivering as she whimpered in pain. I let my human fingers graze against her shoulder and she let out a small mewl of pain. She couldn't fight against me anymore, the poor thing. She rasped a name then began hacking, her body shaking violently at each cough.

"What was that?"

She glared up at me, not moving her head from the pillow. Besides everything else, her eyes remained clear and the emerald color that every woman and man craved. "I...hate..." She shook again, crimson droplets escaping her lips.

"Me? I already know that, but this is only for your benefit." Her glowering meant more than words. "It may not seem like it now, but I'm doing you a favor."

"K...Ke..."

"Shhh. Hush darling. That boy can't come in here. He won't come back, so don't waste your precious energy on speaking." My fingers trailed against her thinning lips, the blood collecting on my fingertips. I wiped them on the mattress, disgusted by the texture of it, and got up. I walked out of the room, closing the door firmly behind me. The guard at the entrance remained stoic, but his eyes turned to me, questioning me.

"Keep a close eyes on her," I said, waving my hand. "I know she isn't going anywhere, but if she seems to have some sign of a change, report it to me right away. Understood?"

He nodded. "Understood sir."

"Very well." And with that, I left.

* * *

A/N: I won't try and hold you in suspense. So onward to the next chapter! :D


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: OK. I lied. Sorry :P I was trying to update as soon as possible and it took longer than expected ^.^; Didn't mean to leave you hanging guys! So onward with the story :D And I'm only having one disclaimer in the prolouge. Past experiences with disclaimers leave me annoyed and tired T.T

_Chapter One  
_

_***Two Weeks Earlier***_

It all begun with a little teasing. A little poke here and there, a smart aleck comment with a snide smirk. Then Gwen and Kevin had found themselves on the floor, mouths mashed together and bodies intertwined. The teasing had disappeared, their attention only directed to their five senses. Her fingers tangled in his hair and his hands clung to the hem of her blouse, inching it up slowly so his fingertips could brush against her skin. Kevin's head felt light, drowning in his senses. Ever since he had returned back to normal two months ago, every kiss, every touch from Gwen was better than the last. He never wanted it to end.

Her fingers left his hair, her fingertips now trailing along his arms and to his hands that rested on her waist, her skin exposed to the cool air. Her hands captured his sneaky hands, intertwining their fingers. She smirked against his lips when she heard a small groan of disappointment and pulled his hands on her hips, locking his arms in place so he couldn't move. She felt his frustration and couldn't help but feel _some _enjoyment from it.

Kevin sensed that and pulled away, trying to catch his breath for a bit before speaking. "You're really mean, you know that?" he breathed.

She let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. He took in the sight of her flushed cheeks and a new found shimmer in her eyes. To think that he had wanted to absorb the life out of her for his own gain... A shiver ran through his body and Gwen's eyes widened a little. "Is...something wrong Kevin?"

"No...nothing." Pasting a smirk to his face, he chuckled. "Well, except for the fact that we stopped."

"I can fix that." She leaned in, arms around his shoulders as she pushed him down onto the carpet. His eyes caught onto her elbows and the urge to be swept up in their..."session" disappeared.

"Ouch."

"What?"

"Your elbows." The skin on her elbows were a bright red and looked like it had been rubbed roughly against the carpet. Which was probably the exact reason why.

But Gwen just shrugged and muttered something under her breath. Within a blink of an eye, the skin had paled into her natural complexion and the skin looked softer and gentler. Kevin stared at them unblinkingly, and Gwen sighed, rolling off of him. She straightened up her blouse and began bunching up her long hair into a ponytail. "I take it that the moment's lost?"

Kevin felt a bit guiltly about it at the very back of his mind, but he couldn't help but wonder about something... "How long have you known how to do that?"

She shrugged nonchantly and took the open bag of pretzels from his desk. She popped a pretzel into her mouth and chewed, in no rush to answer. "For awhile I guess. I don't remember. I've been using it for awhile. Everytime I come back home from a fight, if there's a noticeable bruise or scar, I cover it up with the spell."

"Wait. Does it heal it fully or just cover it up?"

"Heals."

"Huh." He sat back on his elbows, laying there for a bit as he pondered. Gwen stared at him, annoyance bubbling.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Your powers. Everything about them. It's just...with all that you can do, you'd think we would be unstoppable."

"I am unstoppable. Well..." The annoyance disappeared as the situation dawned on her. "I just...I don't want to do anything that can risk me turning into an Anodite and getting rid of my human body. Permantly." There was a flash of emotion in her eyes, then she frowned. "To be honest..." She sighed, her eyes gluing to his, his body rooted to the floor. "Promise you won't get mad."

"Why would I be mad at _you_?"

She sighed again, then nodded, taking the assurance well. "When Zombozo attacked my aunt Sandra...I flipped out. I turned into an Anodite. Scared him enough to make him promise to never attack our families again and make sure to tell everyone out there that-"

"Wait, wait, wait." This threw him off the loop. Yeah, he promised he wouldn't be mad, but he was shocked at the news. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Her shoulders hunched a little, hurt in her eyes. "I didn't want to upset you. I didn't want to say anything because you would get mad. And when I realized it wasn't something to hide, I...I wanted to tell you. I really did." Gwen instantly regretted the confession, immediatly missing the romantic moment that they had shared a few minutes ago.

He knew how upset she was. The first time she lost control, he had to calm her down. With her being alone with her aunt, did her aunt have to calm her down? Or did Gwen some how manage to control herself and revert back to human form? "So...did she help you? Turn back into human?"

"No. I had enough self control to help pull me back, fortunately enough." She looked down and ate a few more pretzels, keeping quiet and giving Kevin the sign that she wasn't interested in keeping the conversation going. Too bad that Kevin still had a few questions on his mind.

"Do you ever regret not leaving Earth? Going to Anodine with your grandmother?" He could hear his voice soften and felt miserable, putting Gwen on the spot like this. He still needed answers though.

Gwen's eyes lit up, then she kept her eyes on the bag, lips pursed. "Sometimes I do, but only because I want to see Anodine, see where my ancestors lived. I want to learn their culture, their language, their abilites...just to feel connected with the half that I still get confused about. My human side is easy to handle and control, besides my hormones. With my Anodite side...my alien side...I can't control anything. I just hope whatever spell I say works, and hope I don't lose control. I-" She cut herself off, squeezing her eyes shut. "Sorry. I'm babbling. I'm thankful enough for the things I have on Earth. I have my family, my friends, you...I need to be by Ben's side, help him go through everything with his fame."

He shook his head. "Ben can handle himself just fine. When your grandmother came over and said that she was going to take you away, I just was frustrated because I just got to really know you. But now..."

"Don't say that you're letting me go!" she gasped, her head snapping up. Her eyes were wide, and her face was pale with fear. "I don't want to leave you!"

"No, no, no! God no!" He sighed, then laughed. "I just wanted to say that you _can _go to Anodine. You can go there, see the different things there."

She sat there for a moment, her face returning to her natural color. "You...really mean that?"

"Of course. We can go by ourselves. But we have to pack our bags, since it's a long trip. Takes a day or so by the Rustbucket 2's speed. I don't really want Ben coming along, but if you want-"

Gwen tackled him to the ground before he could say another word.

* * *

A/N: Urgh, sorry D: I didn't mean to update so late! I meant to do it right after the prolouge, but this chapter needed some editing before it got published. That, and I only have so much time on the Internet.

So please review? Unsigned or signed, just review and tell me what you think :D


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See the first chapter. Dur.

A/N: Ahhh my God, I haven't updated in so long! Sorry! (bows down) I've been working on BDT and I've been slaving over this over and over again...but now it's all done :D Well...it's not ALL done. Just this chapter. (pause) um...so. Yeah. I had a bit fun with this one :D

Imperfection

~Chapter 2~

Gwen's parents agreed to the idea, much to Gwen's surprise. Her parents had been reluctant at first, of course. Gwen still had school and extracurricular activities, as well as finishing college applications. They finally discussed the pros and cons with her during dinner, then came to the conclusion that she can go. Gwen just had to come back home within two weeks, that way she couldn't get in trouble with her school.

Ben was allowed to leave campus whenever he needed to. Gwen? Wasn't that easy for her.

Ben called the Plumbers Helpers and made sure that they would be able to protect Earth while they were gone. If there was any end of the world ordeals, then they were to call for back up.

Ben, Gwen and Kevin all met at the Rustbucket 3 at 8 so they could leave as early as possible. Gwen and Kevin left their suitcases in Kevin's car, while Ben packed everything in his car. They parked their cars in the cargo bay, and went to the control panel, strapped in and took off. They weren't going to take their sweet time. They had two weeks, and that was it.

"Gravity setting," Kevin told Ben as they made it into space. The Rustbucket3 slowed down and Ben nodded, flipping the switch so their bodies could maintain in their seats, not trying to escape from their seatbelts.

"Hey, how fast can this go?" Ben asked, taking off his seatbelt.

Kevin smirked, obviously proud enough to brag about his mechanic work. "Within an hour, we'll reach Jupiter. Actually, I've had my eye on a hydrothermal vent engine that goes even faster, and it doesn't take as much money as jet fuel does."

"Seriously? Then why don't you buy it?"

"Because the closest contact is on Earth, and I got the guy that was selling it. It's illegal to buy it on Earth, 'cause it's level 4 tech."

"Oh." Ben smiled. "I'm surprised that actually stopped you."

"Yeah, well..." Kevin busied himself with the switches, setting the jet on auto-pilot. "I'm trying to reconstruct myself." Ben immediately jumped on it, teasing him, but Kevin ignored him and looked at Gwen. Gwen was on the Extranet, earbuds in her ears and her focus entirely on the screen. He got out of his seat and rested an arm on her chair, plucking out her earbud so she turned to him.

"Whatcha lookin' at?"

Gwen paused whatever she was listening to and grinned. "I'm looking up information about Anodine. I really should have looked it up before but..."

"You hadn't thought about it until now, which is fine. Now that I think about it, I never looked up information about Osmos."

"Really?"

"Mmhm." He looked at the screen, seeing pictures of Anodine and long, detailed paragraphs in tiny print, all divided in sub-categories. "Looks pretty damn high standard. What's it like?"

Gwen eagerly discussed about Anodine, sounding like Kevin whenever he talked about his car. Anodine was a female-based society (with some males included, but only as minority), with various religions branching from a belief in one goddess, to a large group of gods and goddesses. Millenniums ago, Anodites explored the universe, seeing different cultures and new people. They had particular fun with humans, blending in with them, influencing much of Ancient Rome's art, theology, culture and architecture.

Actually, the palace that that held Anodine's royal family had Roman elements with its marble columns and domes. There were also nice, tidy cities surronding the palace. The cities held the citizens, all deriving of workers for the palace: chefs, magicians, dancers, artists, writers, teachers, maids, builders and gardeners.

"Magicians?" Kevin broke into the explaination. "So, what, they actually use magic?"

"Only the most powerful and experienced can be magicians for the royal family. Hold on..." She brought up a picture and Kevin leaned in to see better. There was a line of color, the first being a light sky blue, the last being a deep magenta, like Gwen's mana. "The Anodites that have weaker mana are the lightest blue, which puts them as powerless as humans. The darker blue have little power, and might have an affinty for an element, like earth, water, fire, air or spirit. Artists and dancers share spirit, and gardeners have earth, for example. The dark pink," she said, pointing to the magenta, "is the most powerful and is able to manifest...well...magic."

"Being you."

Her cheeks flushed and she shrugged almost sheepishly. "Being me." She shook her head, as if trying to shake the pride off. "There's actually a guest headquarters behind the castle."

"Seriously?"

Gwen pulled up another image, this one fuller so it was easier to see. Kevin gaped at the screen. "Holy. _Shit._ This is where we're staying?"

"Mmhm."

"Damn."

Ben finally decided to come over to take a look for himself. "Woah."

Gwen knew it was going to be even more magneficent in real life, but it was just enough to take her breath away. The building was behind the castle, still following the Roman theme of marble and columns. There was a water fountain in front of the building, a woman's figure perched on the top of it, reaching for the orange sherbet sky as if trying to reach the stars. There were bushes of exotic plants, and pathways of granite. There were also stainglass windows telling stories of ancestors and the myth of their creation with vibrant colors.

"It's known to have 500 rooms, each one having its own bathroom. There is a hot spring that was created by an gardener with a strong Earth affinity, located on the top floor. It holds mostly Plumbers that are exploring Anodine. Or maybe people relaxing for a night after a trip."

"Do royal visitors stay there?" Ben asked.

"Mmm..." she clicked out of the picture, reading a bit more. After a minute, she shook her head. "No. Actually, any royalty shares a room in the palace."

"Huh. Any idea what it's like?"

"Completely confidental. Only royal families know."

"Can William and Kate go?"

Gwen rolled her eyes, smiling. "Yes."

Ben paused, then grinned. "Think I'd be allowed in? I mean, I _am _a hero after all."

Gwen and Kevin exchanged tired glances. "Alright. Let me read. You guys play your Sumo Slammers." Ben immediatly perked up and skimpered off to get his DS.

Kevin lingered, looking at Gwen. "Are you sure?"

Gwen nodded, her voice softer than normal. "I'm sure."

Kevin smiled. This is what she wanted to do. This is what she's been secretly waiting for, and it's finally happening. After everything she had done for her, she deserves this. "Alright." He lightly squeezed her shoulder. "Call me whenever you need me."

"Alright."

"Snacks are in the cargo bay."

"Thanks."

He kissed her head and joined Ben in the cargo bay.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Kevin rolled in his sleeping bag, snarling a yawn. His gaze was hazy, filled with sleep and blinded by the light. He gazed at his wristwatch. 2 am EST. He looked at Ben, who was curled up on the hood of his car, his blanket wrapped tightly around him with his DS still clutched in his hands.

Where was Gwen?

He got out of his sleeping bag, his footsteps echoing in the cargo bay. He opened the door and made his way to the control panel. He couldn't help but laugh at the scene in front of him. Gwen was slumped over, eyes closed, her laptop screen black from the battery running for too long.

He sighed, shaking his head. Whether it was school or Plumber business, Gwen exhausted herself until she passed out. It was a really unhealthy habit that he never had addressed to her.

He softly shook her shoulder and whispered her name. She woke up with a small noise that sounded like a tired kitten, and her eyes fluttered open. "Mmm...Kevin? What...time..."

"Time for you to get a proper place to sleep. This isn't good for your back." He picked her up easily, despite the fact that her being tired added ten pounds to her.

"Oh Kevin, Anodine sounds wonderful. I can't believe we're almost there. Thank you for doing this." Her voice sounded slurred, but the words were clear enough to understand.

"It's no problem. You deserve this. I'm pretty sure Ben's excited too, but whatever." He shrugged and Gwen laughed softly. They reached the cargo bay and Kevin balanced her body on his arm as he layed out her sleeping bag and unzipped it. He gently put her down and zipped it up. Gwen let out a long, loud yawn, her eyes fluttering closed. "G' night," she murmured, turning on her side.

"Morning more like it. But yeah, you too."

Gwen gave him one last sleepy smile before turning back and falling asleep.

* * *

A/N: Review? (puppy eyes)


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: What. Ever.

A/N: Haha, three chapters in and someone already guesses the bad guy is Michael :D I love it when people do that :) I feel like people interact with my story, and that's the most awesome feeling! Thank you for the reviews and I love the feedback that I'm getting. Here's a quickie!

Imperfection

~Chapter 3~

"My lady, we have guests."

The slim baby blue Anodite turned her head, a light smile gracing her features. The subtle glow of her aura brightened as she turned away from the maid she was speaking to. "Excellent. Who are they? More human Plumbers?" She sighed, looking up and her smile widened as her tone grew playful. "Good goddess, it seems ever since Ben Tennyson was exposed of his heroics, more humans have joined the Plumber organization."

The clairvoyant light pink Anodite tittered nervously in front of her Queen. "Actually my lady, it turns out that our guest _is _Ben Tennyson."

The Queen's eyes widened and the maids cleaning the room gaped at the two in shock and awe. The Queen waved them away, and they all bowed quickly and scurried away. "Your intuition is the most strongly accurate in my lifetime, my young one. Everytime a visitor arrives, you are there to tell me a week earlier. So my child, what is Ben Tennyson's purpose?"

The pink Anodite smiled, feeling a burst of confidence from the compliment. "Actually, he is not alone. He is with his first cousin Gwendolyn Tennyson, and her mate, Kevin Levin." She paused a moment, remembering. "It seems like Gwendolyn wishes to learn more about her Anodite heritage."

The Queen smiled warmly. "It is an honor to have such a guest as Ben Tennyson, but it is even more enriching to have a young Anodite visit to discover the stories of her ancestors." She pursed her lips, becoming serious. "Tell the maids to set up our three guest rooms in our royal quarters for our special guests."

She perked up from the excitement of the news. "Royal quarters, my lady?"

She nodded firmly. "When are they to arrive?"

"A day's notice miss." She looked down, ashamed. "I am sorry that I have not told you sooner. I-It was just so sudden, I...I came as fast as I could, with the goddess as my witness-"

"There is no need to apologize, for we must have enough time to prepare for our special guests! Go fetch the media and tell everyone to arrive at the palace tommorow! Scream Ben Tennyson's name, tell them to prepare the city, chefs to cook the most succulent human food, gardeners to open the flowers' petals earlier, magicians to prepare the awe-inspiring shows! Make it quick my child, waste no time!"

"Yes, my lady!" She quickly bowed and ran out of the room, immediatily running into someone. "Oh! Micel, I'm so sorry!"

The deep blue, male Anodite smiled. "Hera, you are as much of a clutz as you are intuitive. Fate worked strange ways with your creation..."

She pouted. "Oh, enough with the teasing, I am busy!" She walked away, but he followed closely behind.

"Now, is that anyway to address your prince?"

She sighed heavily, fastening her pace. "If you must know, an important guest is coming tommorow and everyone from every curve and bend of our world must attend."

"Who is _that _important enough? Another Queen?"

"Ben Tennyson."

"Now _why _in the goddess' universe would he come here?"

"His cousin, Gwendolyn desires knowledge of her ancestors' world."

"Aren't they..._human _though?"

Hera stopped abruptly, hands on her hips. Her soft pink aura flared as her anger and annoyance grew. "What is it with your discrimination of humans?"

"Humans are powerless, and they have relied on us from the very beginning. Primative primates-"

"Ben Tennyson is different that all the other humans, espicially Gwendolyn. Ben has the Ultimatrix, using it to fend against evil. He's made rather tough decisions in horrid decisions, but he's always pulled through. He's saved the goddess' universe countless times. Gwen has fought beside him, and rumor has it that she is extremely powerful. She almost lost her humanity when she lost control of her abilites. Her mana is a pulsing magenta, deep and rich in power."

Micel gaped at her. "You don't say."

Hera smirked. "So. You still believe in your opinion that humans are horrid?"

He glared at her. "Don't get carried away Hera. All humans are imperfect. All humans make mistakes."

"They learn from their mistakes to make their planet a better place. They sometimes repeat them, but at least they try to fix them. Besides," she sneered. "You aren't all that perfect either, _Prince _Micel."

He growled, his aura flaring as well. His face pushed against hers. "I thought you thought of me differently." He smirked seeing horror flash across her features. "I've heard you've had a certain...liking to me."

She stepped back, eyes wide. "W-Who told you that?"

"So it's true then."

She froze in mortified horror, then scrunched up in anger again. "Leave me be," she hissed, hurrying away. "I have a job to do." She left the hallway, Micel watching after her, his temper melting.

"Oh Hera. I will make you regret those words. Every human makes mistakes. Every human is imperfect. They ruin everything. I'll make you see, make you understand." With a harsher whisper, he walked to his room.

"And that is a promise."

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A/N: Review :D


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Blah.

A/N: Ahhh final exams, animal project AND HSAs, you kill me. As well as the new project in English... O.O But whatever, you know? Life happens. Haha, thanks for the reviews :) They make me smile. It's getting crazy with the seniors leaving this week, and everyone ready to take their exams, finshing college applications...but we're all trying to have a good time. So let me just try to do this before I go nuts from all this review...I have a damn Food Science final exam tommorow.

~Imperfection~

Chapter 4

"68 cans of smoothies on the wall, 68 cans of smoothies on the wall. Take one down, pass it around, 67 cans of smoothies on the wall..."

Kevin moaned, his forehead hitting the counter. "Maybe if I hit my head hard enough, it'll make me block out Ben."

Gwen sighed, rubbing her temple. She was a bit annoyed at Ben's jingle to pass time, but she was still excited about being only an hour away from Anodine. Ben had started the jingle an half an hour ago, so Kevin and Gwen had been tortured by listening to that. Gwen started braiding and unbraiding her hair, trying to relax a bit. She started a fish tail when Kevin came over. His fingers tugged hers lightly away so he could run them through her hair. "If you keep doing that, it's going to screw up your hair," Kevin muttered sleepily. "And if you're wondering how I know that, it's 'cause of my mom. She knows about stuff like hair and make up and stuff."

Gwen smiled. "How is your mom by the way?"

"She's doing alright. She met this guy a week ago. Kind of a cool guy, but-"

"Not your father," she said softly, her heart wrenching. She saw a flash of something in his eyes, but he smiled.

"Yeah. But he treats her nice. Treats me like I'm an adult, not a kid. He doesn't bother me, just ask how work is and stuff like that. I seriously doubt that I'm going to see her for long though."

"Why do you say that?"

Kevin laughed. "My mom hasn't stuck to a guy ever since Harvey. Let me tell you something, there have been some douche bags in the past. There was this creep Adam. Totally looked like a pedophile..." He went on with the horror stories of his mother's past boyfriends, and Gwen laughed through the next 40 minutes. It was nice to see Kevin departing from the sadness of the absense of his father, and instead embrace the chances that lead from that. Kevin being a Plumber, Kevin meeting Ben and Gwen...

"Hey, we're almost there!" Ben shouted, cutting into her innermost thoughts. "See the little pink orb up there? That's Anodine!"

"Huh?" Gwen and Kevin looked out the window, and a smile broke her features. "Oh wow...it's beautiful..." As they got closer, Gwen could see the sunset colors of the planet, seeing the cotton candy like clouds floating around. "Kevin, are we ready to land?"

Kevin sat down in the main seat, buckled in and flicked a switch. "This is Kevin Levin, Plumber KEL-27136, human American. Do I have permission to land on coordinates A-22?" A voice came through the static and he grinned, facing Gwen and Ben. "We're in. But strap in. It's gonna be a bumpy ride."

"Where are we landing anyway?" Ben asked.

"There's a base for Plumbers to land at an area near a place called Mana dieviete" She saw the confused looks, and sighed. "It's Latvian for My Goddess. It's close near a village. A very old village. The palace isn't involved with them even though the village is ten miles away, but the Plumbers have a nice bond with them. It's a rather peaceful group."

"So mana...is that what it means? 'My'?" Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.

Gwen frowned. "I don't know. I'd have to ask someone about that. Maybe someone on the planet will know." Gwen and Ben strapped in, and Kevin grabbed the steering with a big grin.

"Hold on tight. It's gonna be a bumpy ride. The atmosphere and gravity there is pretty screwy compared to ours."

"Great," Ben moaned. He closed his eyes and curled in on himself, his chin touching his chest. Gwen rolled her eyes. Ben was the hero of the universe, known to have villians ten times bigger than him-2 times bigger than Humongasaur even- bow down before him and plead for mercy. Ben's weakness that dragged him down? Motion sickness. Figures.

The jet cut through the puffy light pink clouds with a violent shudder, Gwen's teeth chattering heavily. Ben sat silently and Kevin sat there, smiling like it was no big deal. Then the clouds parted an the trees began to take form. The jet suddenly stopped shaking, moving smoothly along. Ben looked up a bit, squeaking out, "Did we land yet?"

"Nope. Still flying."

Gwen looked down at the trees, gaping in awe at the beautiful scenery. There was a soft glow at the line of the sky, looking like city lights. She wondered that was about, but she shook her head and looked at Kevin. "Where are we right now?"

"A-15. The base should be right over...there!" Kevin turned the jet to the right, moving away from the glowing lights. There was a large gap amounst the trees, a long path of white dotted with a few lights. When they got close enough, Gwen realized that they weren't lights. They were Anodites! She shuffled through her thoughts and realized that the massive amount of light from before was possibly the palace, since the palace held the most amount of people. She smiled, excited from the knowledge and amazement of her surrondings. "_Now _we're landing. You can look up Tennyson."

Ben sighed thankfully and the jet smoothly landed on the patch of white, rolling to a complete stop. Gwen's hand quivered slightly as she slipped out of her seat, while Ben attempted to get up, his stomach probably going nuts. Kevin grinned at Gwen, patting her lightly on her shoulder. "You alright?"

"Really excited, that's all." Gwen stretched up on her toes, kissing him on the cheek. "Thank you. Again. For everything."

"No prob. Come on. We got people waiting for us."

Ben perked up, motion sickness forgotten. "People? Waiting for us?" He smirked. "Well, come on. I've got fans to greet." He practically skipped out of the jet. Gwen and Kevin exchanged knowing glances, rolled their eyes and followed him out of the jet. Gwen took in the sights, the sounds, the smells...there was some sounds of commotion in the distance and she felt impatience growing for her want to see what was going on there. But there was a line of Anodites, and surprisingly enough, a human Plumber. The Plumber smiled warmly, his gruff voice sounding weird in comparsion to the compassion in his eyes.

"Welcome to Anodine. I'm Magister Grzmot, from Poland. I recruited here a few months ago, and must I say, it's been quite a difficulty to go back home," he laughed. "It's an absolute honor to meet the heros of our universe."

Gwen and Kevin looked at each other with a grin. Hero_s_? So their presence WAS known... "It's nice to meet you too Magister Grzmot," Gwen said polietely, offering her hand. He shook back with heavy exuburance, almost hurting her arm.

"I have a citizen from Mana dieviete to take you on a...tour, so to speak. She was very happy to show you everything you want, and possibly need, to know."

"Thank you."

Grzmot shrugged. "Wasn't much of an effort, to be honest. She just spoke up the loudest when she heard your name, Gwen Tennyson."

Gwen froze, a bit stunned that someone acknowledged her instead of Ben. Who else...?

_Oh crap. _

"Ah, there she is...Verdona! Our guests have finally arrived. I know how impatient you have been to meet your grandchildren..."

* * *

A/N: Oh yes I did :D


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Na...see the prolouge.

A/N: OK, this is going just fine :3 Thanks to all of my reviewers and readers! I love you guys sooo much and I really appreciate all of your kind words! Now, I'm going to try to make the chapters a little longer...they just seem short to me, I don't know :/

Imperfection

~Chapter 5~

"Grandma Verdona?"

Verdona stood proudly amoungst a small group of other Anodites behind her, her figure leaking pride and confidence. Her mana was the purest magenta, while the other Anodites fell weak in comparison with their light blues and subtle pinks. Verdona held out her arms as to give Gwen a bear hug, then stopped, frowning. "Oh. You aren't happy to see me?"

"I..." she trailed off, unsure. The last time she saw Verdona was when she picked up Sunny and Antonio from Earth. It was nice to have her resolve the gang's problems, but now, she felt happy to see her grandmother, but felt a tweak of annoyance. Verdona had left the Tennyson family for 20 years, only checking up on Ken to see if he had any powers.

Ben grinned, obviously excited to see his grandmother. "Hey Grandma."

Verdona smiled, but it wasn't as warm as the one directed to Gwen. "Hello Ben. I've heard of your heroics. Well done."

Ben swelled with pride. "Thanks."

Verdona turned to Kevin, smirking. "Hello Caleb."

Kevin sighed. "Now you're just doing it on purpose..."

Verdona chuckled and with a flick of her hand, a ruffle messing up his hair playfully. "It's very nice to see you again Kevin. Great to see that you made the decision to bring Gwen here. Though it isn't the smartest move, being that I may whisk her away from your grasp, keeping her with me forever." She sighed melodramatically, shaking her head. "Why, I may just have to bound and gag her, and kill you all off."

Magister Grzmont and the other Anodites looked alarmed by the statement, but Kevin rolled his eyes. One of the Anodites standing next to her cleared her throat, sounding a bit disturbed. "I believe we have to leave. The royal family wishes to meet them. Everyone is awaiting the arrival of Ben Tennyson."

Ben perked up. "Well, well. My adoring fans-" Kevin slapped the back of his head and he cut off with a curse, rubbing the tender area. "Right, right, no bragging..."

Verdona smiled. "Ah, that's something that nearly slipped my mind." She patted Ben's shoulder. "Word got out that you were visiting and the palace wanted everyone on the planet-and I mean _everyone_-to meet together and celebrate. Apparently their making non-exotic human food for your visitation, that way you three aren't afraid to eat anything."

"What _do _you eat?"

"Oh, native plants, animals...but I can make a really mean apple-cinnamon pie," she winked. "Now. Let's not waste anymore time." She closed her eyes, and murmured something, but Gwen cut in, concerned.

"Doesn't that spell wear you out?" The last few times she had attempted the transportation spell, she nearly passed out from exhaustation and had a killer migrane that lasted for two hours.

"Not if you're like me and have a lot of experience...but let's not get into all of that." Verdona gave her a between-you-and-me smile and repeated the spell again. Wind kicked up, surronding Verdona, Gwen, Ben and Kevin in a bright pink whirlwind. With a blink of an eye, they were in another place, the Plumber's base gone. Now they heard the deafening roar of thousands of people, cheering and applauding the arrival of their special guests. Gwen looked around, realizing they were at the top of the palace, looking down on the majestic courtyard. Where there was granite floors, there were Anodites of all color, giving off a glow so radiant it almost hurt her eyes.

"Wow...so many people," she breathed.

"They're really happy to see us," Ben said, just as breathlessly. He grinned. "With all those colors, it kind of reminds me of those fairy-tales you used to read when you were four."

"It's beautiful isn't it? The magnificent glow radiating from our people...it's such a spectular event, isn't it?" The female's voice was alluring and powerful enough to turn their heads. Five Anodites stood near exit door made of stainglass, everyone of them draped in a sheer, shimmery cloth. The one that stood out was the tall, thin sky blue Anodite, a thin golden chain looped around her head. She smiled as warmly as the aura around her. "Welcome. Your four must be our guests." She walked towards them and bowed down. "Thank you Verdona, for bringing them here. You may stay here at the guests' quarters."

Verdona bowed as well. "It is an honor to be in the precense of the royal Majesty, espicially to be invited to stay at her headquarters."

The Queen faced Kevin. "You must be Kevin Levin."

Kevin had seen powerful Anodites before, with Sunny and Gwen after she lost control. Despite remembering that light blue Anodites held as much ability as a human, he still felt in awe of her. "Yes ma'am."

"I'm glad you thought of bringing Gwen and Ben Tennyson here."

"It was for Gwen, mostly," Kevin smiled at Gwen, and the Queen looked at her, her eyes widening.

"My Goddess..." Her hand reached out towards Gwen, not quite touching her. Gwen froze as the Queen's fingers seemed to stroke the air around her. "Magnificent...so young, with such a bright aura. You are amazing child."

Gwen almost croaked and she gave her a sheepish smile, blushing. "Thank you."

Ben nearly scooted in. "Hi. I'm Ben Tennyson."

"Oh, let's not forget you, of course," the Queen laughed. Verdona laughed along as well with the other royal family, but Gwen and Kevin glared at him, annoyed by the informal greeting. They were certain that if Ben met one of the voice actors from Sumo Slammers, he would be bowing down and kissing his feet. The Queen didn't seem to mind it. "I would give you all my thanks, but my people seem to have that covered."

Another blue Anodite stood next to her, this time, a male. He wore a thin golden bracelet, they realized as he was closer to them. "I'm Prince Michel."

"Michelle?" Ben rose an eyebrow. "Isn't that a girl's name?"

Micel wasn't offended at all. Actually, he seemed amused. "It is a unisex name here. Not so much on Earth. It's spelled M-I-C-E-L. Actually, the name derived from the goddess' consort." He turned around and nodded to the other three Anodites. "The shortest of the two females is my cousin, Athena. She is considered the princess, for now, until she is married." He smirked. "Which may never happen."

Athena glared at him. "I can speak for myself Micel."

Micel contunied on, ignoring the glare from his mother. Even though she was queen, he acted like a normal teenage son to her. "The other female is my aunt, and that is my uncle."

The uncle stepped up, shaking Ben's hand. "It's an honor to meet you Ben Tennyson." His voice was low and gruff, making a chill run up Ben's spine. The aunt came up, giggling like a little girl.

"Oh, darling, you're scaring him."

Athena sighed at her family, then smiled at Gwen. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Wow, I'm 19. It's amazing meeting someone so powerful, but is still younger than me." She concentrated a little more, then gasped. "Wow. So pretty..."

The Queen cut in, clapping her hands. "I must make an announcement." She turned to the crowd, and her voice reached them, almost carrying to the stars. "My people! Our guests have arrived! In a few hours, you may all meet in the dancing hall, prepare for a fantastic feast and enjoy entertainment, listen to the heroic stories from the heroes themselves. For now, let's gather our food and festivites! Make haste!" There was an excited buzz and she swiftly turned back to them, satisfied. "Now you must explore our wonderful palace. Come with me."

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A/N: Ahh, I wrote the rough draft and realized the chapter would be too long...action's coming up, I promise! Just give me a chapter or so to get to it :P

Now if you could press those pretty blue words below that say Review this Chapter...


	7. Chapter 6

A/N: Ahhh more people favoriting and following me! 8D Thank you guys sooo much :) OK, action will be coming up soon, promise my heart and hope to live! I just need to get backstories in. I had so much fun with this one! Enjoy!

Imperfection

~Chapter 6~

Within thirty minutes, Ben, Gwen and Kevin were shocked into silence and awe as they walked through the grande halls of the palace. Verdona took in everything, obviously excited about getting away from small town life to visit the palace. She complimented the plants and orbs of light that graced the red velvet walls. Vines of ivy escaped through the cracks of the marble flooring, softening their footsteps. There were stands for pottery, large paintings of scenry, myths, people, and the universe, art so beautiful that it would make Van Gogh look like a five year old with a box of crayons. Statues were everywhere, celebrating the goddess. Gwen stopped at one, everyone else stopping with her.

"Are you interested in this one?" the Queen asked.

"I'm interested in all of them, but this one...it's really beautiful." The goddess was painted a dark, rich purple. Her hands were colored with stars and in her palm was a glass ball. It looked remarkably like the female Celestepian with the baby Alien X.

"It's the beginning of the creation of our people. Actually, there's a beautiful painting that details the creation of life, not just our kind. Come, I'll show you." They followed her, and Micel walked beside Gwen, smiling at her.

"You seemed overwhelmed with awe," he observed. "Speechless would be a rather common way to say it, but I'm afraid that's quite an understatement."

"It's just...amazing here. There's no word to describe this place, how I feel..." she trailed off, her brain having a immediate meltdown. She was talking to the _prince _of Anodine. He was the next in line for the throne, since his father had died to an emotional breakdown. It awed her that he was able to maintain his composure and still be under all of that pressure. "It's wonderful to meet you Prince Micel."

"And it is wonderful to meet you Gwendolyn Tennyson."

Gwen nodded respectfully and her attention reverted back to the Queen as they all walked into the original dance room. They took in the preparations as all of the people prepared for the party. The tall walls were made of glass and the floor was made of a rich chocolate brown wood. There was a large circle of tables so there was enough room for performers.

"I noticed there's a lot of seats but, it doesn't seem enough to fit everyone," Ben said doubtfully.

"That's why we have balconies," the aunt said, pointing up. Gwen looked up with the rest of them, but she caught something else besides the balconies for the other citizens. The ceiling was like the Sistene Chapel. On the ceiling stood their celebrated goddess, her arms spread out, a star in one hand, another man's hand in another. They seemed to dance across the ceiling, surronded by the night sky and the orbiting stars, galaxies, comets and planets.

The people preparing quickly noticed their guests, bowed in respect, then commenced their work with hushed whispers. The Queen and the others paid no attention to them as Athena sighed dreamily. "This was painted by a spiritually gifted man millieniums ago. A man that spread the story of the creation of life by the goddess." She closed her eyes and the group silenced, ready for the story. The royal family and Verdona knew the story by heart, but Gwen, Kevin and Ben had no idea. "Long, long ago, the universe slept for many years, silently and coldly. There was no warmth, just darkness. In this nothingness, the Spirit woke and gave birth to our goddess. The goddess danced in jubliation, her feet beating out the rhythm of creation. Lights sparked from her fingers, giving birth to the stars and planets. As she spun, the planets spun with her in symphony. When the beat quickened, she created the mountains, plataeus, deserts, oceans...she chanted her words of love and joy, and those sounds became the trees and flowers. Her pure breath became the colors of the universe and her laughter became the sounds of the gentle lapping of water. Her tears of happiness became the rain.

"When her dancing slowed, she felt emptiness. She wanted a companion, some one to celebrate the creation of life. She created Micel, her consort, half spirit, half being so they could populate the universe. Together they birthed animals and people. To protect everyone, they created guardian angels to protect us, though we could not see them. To each bird, the goddess gave them a magic song, and Micel gave people the instinct to survive.

"We prayed amd celebrated in our creation, sending them our thanks. As a gift, the goddess granted us special abilites. Certain people were gifted with spirit, fire, earth, air, or water, some more than one, some all, or some not at all. But we are all gifted characteristics, able to breathe, and live life that was given to us." With a sigh, Athena opened her eyes and smiled. Gwen, Ben and Kevin gaped at her in shock of the story. Kevin was the first to break.

"Wow. That was..."

"Amazing," Ben finished in a whisper.

The uncle smiled at Athena softly. "She only speaks the truth."

"It's still a wonderful story," the Queen sighed softly. "And now, let us show you all to your rooms."

_Five Hours Later_

Gwen sighed contently, stretching her arms. "Thank you for such an amazing dinner your Majesty."

The Queen smiled warmly at her, lightly touching her shoulder. "It was in my best interest to treat you with the upmost respect that you deserve. You three are merely teenagers, and yet you have accomplished so much. I've been told extrordinary stories, and I have to say...it's very intimidating to be in the same room with such a young female warrior."

Gwen felt her jaw drop. No one else had come up to her and said that before. No one had ever said "thank you for everything." It was all dedicated to Ben. Now _she _was getting attention. From the _Queen. _"Thank you," she murmured, her face heating.

"You're very welcome." She turned around, snapping her fingers. An Anodite maid rushed into Gwen's room, holding a bundle of shimmery, light pink cloth. "She wanted to make this for you."

"Wow. Thank you." Gwen took it carefully and gave her a grateful smile. The maid bowed in respect and left the room swiftly. Gwen's face felt like it was on fire. She touched the fabric, amazed by the cashmere feel of it.

"You are a fighter when the time is right, but when you are given praise, you are timid." The Queen laughed softly and with a twirl of her skirt she left the room. Gwen smiled at herself, not in embarassment, but in pride. Confidence radiated through her, having earned respect from the Queen. She looked at the suitcase laid next to the hammock like bed. She decided to wear the clothing that was made for her. She stripped off her clothes and slipped on the dress made for her. It cut off at her knees, drapping softly down her hips. With every twirl and twist, it shimmered brightly in the orb of mana giving light to the room. She settled into the bed, the mattress letting her body sink down, molding to every curve and bend of her body. She closed her eyes, feeling the gentle swing of the bed, falling deeply asleep.

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A/N: Review!


	8. Chapter 7

A/N: Ahhh I freaking love you guys :3 I keep getting story and favorite alerts and wonderful reviews and comments :) You guys are absolutely amazing!

Imperfection

~Chapter 7~

Kevin woke up to a platter of breakfast food settled next to him. The smell of it was mouthwatering, with thick, greasy slices of bacon, freshly baked bread, creamy, freshly churned butter, steaming hot coffee and cheesy eggs. He nearly tore into everything before he heard someone eating right in front of him. He looked up, seeing Ben sitting on the edge of his bed eating a rather large egg sandwich that was smothered with cheese and bacon.

"Why are you in my room?" Kevin muttered, rubbing his eyes. Surprisingly enough, he wasn't as cranky as he was usually when he woke up. He felt relaxed.

"I was going to wake you up, but the food is _so _freaking good. I just can't stop eating it..." He wiped off a bit of grease on his lips, sighing contently.

Kevin ignored him and took a sip of his coffee, grinning. Black coffee, with a tad bit of sugar. They knew him too well. "Awesome. Really awesome. Is Gwen awake?"

"Naw. Totally asleep." Ben snarfed down the last bite, chewing loudly. "You have a normal looking bed," he noted, pointing down.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "I don't need a fancy looking bed to feel comfortable. It's just fine."

"Dude, mine is so cool though! It's got like a curtain surronding it. It doesn't have a mattress, it's all pillows and blankets. It's soooo soft."

Kevin let him blab on shamelessly as he ate his breakfest, a bit surprised by how normal it tasted. Nothing extremely special, something you can buy at iHop. It made him feel a bit like he was home.

There was a timid knock on the door. "Come in." Gwen stepped in and Kevin's eyes widened as he took in her appearance. She wore a rosy dress that fit her perfectly, the skirt wafting down at her knee. Her skin seemed radiant from the inside, out, and her hair was disheveled, but it made her look even more graceful, more...She smiled, noticing his staring.

"Morning sunshines."

Kevin looked down at himself, knowing he probably didn't look his best. There was some dried drool on his chin that he quickly rubbed away, and he wore a normal gray T-shirt and boxers. Ben was shamelessly wearing his Sumo Slammers shirt and shorts, but Kevin didn't exactly count him as "normal."

"Mornin' Gwen," Ben answered for him, smirking at Kevin's expense. "Nice dress."

"Thanks." She spun a little, laughing. "One of the maids made it for me." She sat next to Ben, folding her legs. "Did you both sleep well."

"Yup. My bed is so comfy! You think they'll let me bring it home with me?"

Gwen rolled her eyes at Ben. "I'm pretty sure they will." She sighed. "Wasn't that party amazing?"

"I was surprised that they had smoothies there!" Ben eagerly said. "And pizza! Chili fries! Ah man, that was just awesome."

Kevin ate the last of his eggs and began on the bread. "I guess they know us enough to know what we like." Kevin smiled softly at Gwen, hoping there wasn't cheese hanging from his lips. "So are you enjoying it here?"

Ben noticed the hint of intimacy in his voice that hinted that he wasn't supposed to be involved in the conversation. "I think I'm just gonna take a look around. Yeah..." He skipped off, leaving Gwen and Kevin behind. Gwen laughed at the sudden escape and sat at Kevin's blanketed feet. She traced the unique pattern of the blanket.

"I can't thank you enough for bringing me here Kevin. And I know Ben appreciates it too...he may not have any control over magic like I do now, but I bet he thought about Anodine at sometime."

"Yeah, when I told him about it, he seemed pretty excited." He scowled, taking another sip of his coffee. "He enjoyed talking about his brave 'heroics' at the party. I'd thought he'd never stop."

Gwen laughed, a hint of annoyance creeping in. "It'll fade. Eventually." Kevin looked at her doubtfully and she grinned. "Some confidence in my cousin would be appreciated, thanks." Kevin chuckled, loosening up a bit. Gwen chatted about the party a little more, admiring the magicians and dancers. The spells they used were incredible and the dance was filled with so emotion that humans were just uncapable of. She hoped that she could get some pointers from them in the future.

The idea of it got Kevin's attention. "Hey. Maybe you can."

"Huh?"

"Yeah! Let's go to the palace's city, meet some of the magicians. I'm sure they'd be willing to help you out Gwen."

Gwen's excitement nearly exploded within her. "Will you come with me."

"Sure thing." He smiled and handed her a slip of bacon."You'll need this. Extra energy."

Verdona took in the sights of the headquarter's neatly trimmed lawn and water fountain, a bit disappointed. It was nice, with the stain glass windows and smooth marble ground, but it seemed like it wasn't enough. She didn't know what there was supposed to be there, but there was just something..._missing_.

"Mrs. Tennyson?"

She turned to see Micel and his uncle walking towards her. "Please, just Verdona," she smiled. "No need to be formal with me. I am of lower class."

"No matter the class," Micel shook his head. "You earn my respect."

"How so? Because my grandson is a universal hero? To be fairly honest, I didn't give him much notice until everyone else in the universe knew his name. His little trinket didn't impress me as much as Gwen did. She's tamer than my other granddaughter, Sunny, but just as powerful."

Micel frowned at the quick, unnecessary comment and his uncle looked annoyed. "Commoners..." the uncle muttered under his breath. Verdona heard this and smirked. As much as she loved an argument, she didn't want it with royalty and ruin her chance to explore the palace somemore.

"So what brings you the the guests' headquarters?" she asked casually. "The hot springs here are quite nice, but-"

"I actually wanted to speak to you about your grandchildren. They're quite unusual and I would love to hear from you." Micel smiled sincerely. "You must have some sort of backstory to add to this."

Verdona grinned. "Ah. I absolutely _love _to brag." The tone had an unintended warning that it would be a long time until she stopped talking. The uncle and Micel exchanged uncertain glances. "My children were born human. No special abilites, unlike me. I waited so long for special children, growing impatient. My brother married an Anodite, and was sure to have children that were purely Anodite. As much as I love Max, I wanted children with my abilites. I wanted to be a teacher as well as a mother. As soon as my first son married, Frank, my patience wore thin. Max was away, and I was stuck on Earth, waiting for my grandchild. Ken wasn't special like I hoped he was. So I left on a fit of anger, as selfish as I was."

Her voice carried on, resentment tangling with remembrance. "As I grew on Anodine, I missed Max. I had frequent visits to Earth, visiting the tree that we used to have when we were teenagers. One of those times, I met my other two grandchildren, Ben and Gwen. Of course I didn't know at the time. I came across them, and Ben said that I was intruding on his land, although it was so rightfully mine. I got into a fight-a rather brutal fight at that- when Gwen showed her abilites, shouting why she was here, at her grandfather's fishing rock. Then I knew she was mine. The young man that could change species at the literal push of a button, and the young woman that manifested strong, magenta mana...they were the grandchildren I had been waiting for.

"I wanted her immediatly to come with me to Anodine. I had been waiting for this moment most of my life, to have someone of my own creation to teach, to manifest the elements. She refused." She sighed heavily, giving the uncle enough time to cut in.

"Why would she refuse?" he asked gruffily, a bit insulted. "Why would she ever a refuse a better life?"

"She was caught up in being a human teenager. She rathers being a gifted teenage girl, than a strong being that can control so much power. She loves her family, her friends, Kevin...she loves all the struggle in life. She loves to fight, loves having to catch her breath after packing punches and running over an extended time, scratches on her skin, pain in her sides...It makes life more meaningful to her."

Micel frowned. "A complicated girl."

"She is. And that's why she's my favorite grandchild." She couldn't help but smile. "She's stubborn, like me. She's set on what she wants, though she's gentle at first. When I met her a couple of times on Earth, I tried to convince her again, but she still refused. I knew she wanted to at least visit, but she wanted to stay on Earth." She paused, her voice meaningful. "I'm thankful that Kevin finally convinced her to visit."

"So Kevin actually let her visit?" the uncle asked. "I thought he was against the very idea."

"He is, but he wants her to be happy." Verdona frowned. "He's more caring and affectionate than I gave him credit for..."

Micel nodded, smiling. "It sounds like he cares about her."

"He does..." Verdona trailed off, sighing. "Well, I ought to be heading to the hot springs now. It's quite lovely." She paused. "I hope you don't mind."

The uncle seemed to oppose the very idea, but Micel nodded. "Go on ahead Verdona. Until we meet again." He watched as Verdona bowed respectfully and head back to the headquarters.

"Why did you let her go?" he hissed. "We've only learned so much."

"We have," Micel murmured. "But we have enough time. It would be suspicious if we asked _her _about everything. We need to spread out. Ask individually. Ben will be next. Then will Kevin." He made a face, his tone bitter. "Though that would take sometime, considering that Kevin is so attached to her."

"I can think of somethings that will distract the girl," the uncle smiled. "You come up with the questions, I'll find a way."

Micel smiled. "I doubt your intellegence more than I should uncle."

"You do. Now let's meet Athena. Casually now, don't rush your pace."

"I know uncle, I know..." They made their way back to the palace, and the bushes rustled as they disappeared in the distance. Hera peeked over and hastily sat back down.

"Oh Kevin..." she moaned. "You should have never brought her to Anodine..."

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A/N: Love you guys so much :3 Please, please PLEASE review!


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: (raspberry)

A/N: Ahh someone came to the right conclusion~ :D Someone messaged me and said something that made me laugh. Person knows me all too well...(sigh) Not that I'm telling though. You'll just have to see... My friend Jennifer dared me to do an M rated fic ./ / /. (blush) So you may see something come up. (huddles into a corner) It was a triple dog dare. I can't back down now...ANYWAY. ONWARD TO THE STORY.

Imperfection

~Chapter 8~

Once Gwen and Kevin left palace grounds, they instantly felt out of place, like an Amish person stranded in Las Vegas. They were surronded by different people of different culture and different abilities. Eyes glued to them quickly. Young children held obvious interest, and some of their parents silently scolded, while the other parents couldn't help but stare as well.

Gwen and Kevin were greeted with timid hellos as they got deeper into the city. Once they reached the city market, they seemed to be in a whole different world. It looked like everyone that had performed at the party last night lived here. Dancers, male and female, seemed to glide down the street, as if they were dancing instead of walking.

Gwen looked around. Two rows of buildings faced each other, made of a soft looking granite and their windows made of stainglass. The stainglass radiated colorful rainbows of rubies, sapphires and topaz. Banners hung from both sides, a native language written on their that Gwen didn't recognize.

Vendors let them taste their food. Gwen tasted a plum looking object, the taste crossing between blueberry and kiwi. Kevin sampled a bit, but decided that his stomach would hate him later and wimped out. Gwen made fun of him, noticing his restraint, but took his hand and walked away from the food vendors to check out some of the clothing. A light blue child shyly came up to her, a pink and yellow flower in her hands.

"For me?" Gwen asked, surprised. The child looked at her, obviously not knowing her language, but handed her the flower. As soon as the flower was in Gwen's hands, the girl took off to a group of friends, who greeted her with hushed, excited whispers.

Kevin looked at the flower, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that the same flower Verdona had before? She used to leave those at the one tree at Max's fishing rock..."

"Yeah." She touched the silky petals, inhaling the unique sweet scent. Kevin took it and tucked it behind her ear. He backed away, examining it. Kevin smiled shamelessly and took her hand, surprising her with the sudden affection. She slowly adjusted to the warmth of his calloused hand against hers, and finally entered a dream like trance. They walked together in a relaxed, carefree pace, the sounds of a busy selling day in their ears. The light hearted feeling of so much raw, pure mana made her head lighten. She felt so comfortable like...

Like she was finally where she belonged. Like she was home.

Kevin pulled her into a building, this one not having a door, but a curtain of silver and bronze beads. Kevin pushed them away and Gwen was greeted with soft twinkles. The windows were open, letting the light reflect on the glass windchimes hanging from the high ceiling. The walls and floor were white, making the reflected light be the rainbows of color in the building. There was a man in the corner napping, his mana a light purple, almost pink. There were statues and paintings on the floor, price tags hanging on every one of them.

"He's so gifted...I can't believe he made all this. He's probably spiritually gifted..."

"It's nice," Kevin shrugged. " But I doubt there's a really high demand for windchimes here."

"I don't know. Maybe there is." She sighed and touched a tiny glass figurine of a strange looking creature she had never seen before. An alien, or a animal that lived on Anodine? She looked up, looking at all the windchimes that glittered in the sky light. The rainbow seemed to shatter and dance across her skin. She smiled. This was truly a magical place. "Let's go look somemore." They left the shop and walked down the street. Gwen was offered a blanket. It was soft like cashmere, but the vendor bragged it was strong enough to hold a ton of anything. Gwen took it gratefully and Kevin was offered one as well, this one a midnight blue. They tucked the blankets under their arms and took in more of everything. There were children dancing in a circle, all blue, but filled with so much innocence and joy that the dance still seemed graceful.

They got closer to the gate that left the city, a fountain in a circle of rust red brick. Gold coins had been tossed in, looking remarkably like a mall wishing fountain with an ample amount of pennies tossed inside. Gwen and Kevin sat on the ledge and relaxed in silence, the only sounds being their breath and the sound of the water fountain. "This was really nice," Gwen murmured.

"Yeah. It was. It's cool walking down a street without people...well, actually they were staring."

"But they were respectful," she added. "There's no paparazzi here. No one questioning us about Ben. For once we're the heroes."

"I don't know about 'we'," Kevin said mildly. Gwen noticed the tone, raising an eyebrow. Kevin sighed, shrugging. "You're treated more of a hero. People looking at you like _you're _the Queen. People look at you with so much admiration."

Gwen looked around, frowning. No one seemed to be staring at her now.

"Not now. Earlier. As we were walking."

"Oh. Well, yeah. But they were looking at you."

"They were merely looking at the person that you were walking with Gwen," he muttered. He absently traced the light blue vein on her hand, staring straight ahead. "They don't really know me. I'm just the guy that dropped you off, that you're dating."

"You're more than that."

He smiled and laughed, with partial amusement and annoyance. "Yeah, well..." He sighed, shaking his head. "I shouldn't be doing this. We should be enjoying our time together. I guess I'm just not used to being this close to you in public. Well...in public on a completely different planet."

Gwen laughed with him, and they both sighed happily, Gwen's head resting on his shoulder. They sat there a little longer, listening to the faded sounds of the city and the water. Gwen felt the slow rise and fall of his shoulders, his gentle heartbeat. There she was again, where she belonged. Her thoughts began to linger away. Why didn't she come to Anodine before? Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to pay a visit. Verdona seemed overjoyed (understatement) when she saw Gwen. Ben seemed happy to be appreciated by his ancestors. It felt...right.

"What are you thinking right now?" she whispered. "You're really quiet." She felt his shoulders tense and she looked up, seeing the tightness of his jaw. "What's wrong?"

"I know that you need to go back. I know it'll be hard for you, going back home."

"I'll be fine. We can visit another time. Maybe for spring break or summer vaca-" She froze. She was a senior. She didn't have that anymore. College was near her grasp, so close to her. She knew part of her future, due to a visit from Ultimate Ben 10,000. She was going to be president of Earth, maybe even have a second term. Her throat closed up and she tried to relax her muscles. _Focus. You have to focus..._ "We can visit whenever we have somemore time. It's not like you'll be dragging back to the Rustbucket, me kicking and screaming."

Kevin smiled, trying to imagine that. "You'd be breaking from my grasp before I start dragging you. You'd probably kick my ass."

"Probably." She grinned, feeling better. She kissed his jaw and she felt his skin flush at the sudden contact. "C'mon. Let's explore somemore." She pulled him up from the fountain ledge and they walked through the gate, ready to explore the forest beyond the palace.

xXxOoOxXxOoOxXx

"Ben! Ben Tennyson!"

Ben looked up from his PSP. A pink Anodite stood at the door, breathing heavily. He blushed, pushing the PSP away. After a couple hours, he got bored with looking around and started playing his Sumo Slammers game. "Um...sorry. Did I do something wrong?"

"Nothing," the girl breathed. "Absolutely nothing. Besides being here, that is."

"Um...did I majorly hurt your feelings or anything? I don't know you, but-"

"My name is Hera. I'm the messenger for the Queen." Despite the breathlessness in her voice, her tone held some superiority to it. "You shouldn't be here Ben Tennyson, and neither should your cousin, Gwendolyn, and your friend Kevin Ethan Levin."

"Uh...why?"

She sighed. "Just listen to me, Ben, I-"

"Is there something wrong Hera?"

Micel stepped into Ben's room, his stance casual and his tone cool. Hera froze, and Ben saw fear and horror in her expression. Then she slumped her shoulders. "There is nothing wrong Prince Micel." She swiftly left the room, leaving Micel alone with Ben. Ben watched as Micel stared at him with a gentle smile.

"Are you enjoying yourself Ben Tennyson?"

"Yes...I am. Thanks." He checked the suspicion in his voice and Micel seemed like he approved. He nodded and left. Ben took the PSP from out under him, and noticed that his main character was killed off while Ben wasn't playing. His main character had his villan sneak up behind him while Ben wasn't looking. No matter how it felt strange to him, his stomach churning, he couldn't help the hidden warning that was hinted.

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A/N: (giggle) Review? :D


	10. Chapter 9

A/N: I am enjoying this all WAY too much :D Thank you guys SO SO much for reading and favoriting and just being all around great readers :) I'm excited to hear about there being a possible live action Ben 10 movie to hit the BIG SCREEN (GASP?) directed by fellow Matrix producer, Joel Silver! You think I'm kidding? LOOK IT UP GUYZ. I hope everyone's out of school and enjoying a little summer sun :) I know it's raining over here ^^;

Imperfection

~Chapter 9~

Kevin nearly collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion taking over him. His feet throbbed painfully and he kicked off his sandals, the shoes flying across the room and landing at the wall. Gwen sighed, picking them up and putting them neatly next to his open suitcase. She took a peek, seeing that he had stuffed casual T-shirts and shorts, which dulled in compare to her neat tank tops, skirts, shorts and flats. The only non-clothing items he had was a toothbrush and almost empty thing of toothpaste, where as she had her bag inside her suitcase stuffed with body lotion, perfume, hair brush, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and shaver. She frowned. Was she too overpacked? Either that, or she was just a girl.

She ignored any futhur examination and smiled at Kevin. "Tired?"

"Not so much," Kevin muttered. "My feet are _killing_ me though."

Gwen rolled her eyes. He can take punches, blasts from any weapon, thrown into a hell for a jail, faced murder in front of his eyes, has his life draining from him, but he couldn't handle walking for too long, otherwise his feet would hurt. She took in the little pout he gave her. She snorted. "C'mon, sit up."

He grumbled a few complaints but obeyed, slowly but surely. She sat behind him and worked her fingers into the strong muscles in his back. He quietly groaned, his head tilting back. "My feet need the most attention, not that I'm objecting or anything..." he trailed off happily.

"A massage can keep your mind off the pain. It balances everything out." She began working at his hard shoulders and lightly grazed the nape of his neck. He shivered and she smiled, a bit smug at the reaction. THe silence dragged on comfortably until a maid walked in, carrying two trays piled with food.

The light blue Anodite smiled timidly, noticing Gwen and Kevin's closeness. "I figured you two would like a nice human lunch after your long walk. You two must be very hungry."

Gwen sat up and took the trays with a soft smile. She carefully balanced a tray on each arm and inhaled the mouthwatering scents of filet mignon, stuffed bell peppers and buttery rolls. There were also a few tennis ball sized creme puffs and two glasses filled with what looked like grape juice. "Thank you very much."

The maid giggled. "You're very welcome Tennyson." She looked over Gwen's shoulder, giving Kevin a warm smile as well. "You too Kevin." The maid left and Gwen turned around, laughing. Kevin looked like he was about to jump her for the food. She passed him a tray and sat next to him to eat. They ate in silence, the food so delicious they didn't have the words to speak. The meat tasted like her father's barbeque, reminding her of home, as well as the bell peppers that were stuffed with bread crumbs and toasted almonds. She smiled, noticing that this _was _her father's recipe. They knew too much...

She took a sip of her drink and her eyes widened. "Wine?"

"What, you don't like it?" Kevin asked, taking a sip himself. "Tastes really good."

"It does. It tastes wonderful actually, it's just...I was surprised they actually let us have some." The last time she had wine was in Communion at her church when she was seven. It was bitter and tasted like raisins. Gwen took another sip, letting the flavors soak her taste buds and figuring out the subtle notes. There was cherry, cinnamon, allspice, and vanilla...a dessert wine? It wasn't meant for a lunch like this, but with the creme puffs, it fit just right. Once the last drop hit her lips, she put the glass down to polish off her last creme puff. As soon as the glass touched the tray, it refilled itself to the brim.

"Cool, refills," Kevin grinned as Gwen stared in shock at the charmed glass. She let it be, as tempted as she was to down the whole glass. She didn't want to get drunk and have a bad reputation. She was a good girl. Kevin, however, finished his second glass of wine, working on his third. She rose an eyebrow at him and he smirked. "I know how to hold my liqour Gwen. I've had beer, jello shots-"

She wrinkled her nose. "Ew."

"You've had 'em before?"

She frowned. Her parents held a New Years party and the adults made them. They looked like innocent strawberry Jello in small cups to Gwen when she was five. She took one and her parents let her to see the look of disgust on Gwen's face after tasting the strong vodka spiked into the gelatin. "It was accidental. Never doing it again."

Kevin chuckled and laid back against the pillows, glass in his hand. Gwen cuddled with him after setting the tray down. "So what do you want to do now?"

She shrugged. "Lay down. Relax."

"I can do that," Kevin nodded. He kissed her on the lips, meaning to give her a short peck-trying to be responsible for once- to be short and sweet. She could taste the wine on his lips and with the feel of his soft lips, it felt like she was already having a buzz like a drunk person. She absently leaned in to taste more, and Kevin smirked in that kind of roguish, smug way of his. She ignored it, and pressed on, focusing on the softness of his lips that contrasted with the strength and callousness of everything else, how sweet the kiss tasted-

He parted, chuckling. "One drink and you're already a vixen."

"Am not!" she blushed, her cheeks bright crimson. She remained where she was, however, as he set his glass down, almost empty. Kevin rose an eyebrow as he took in her expression with interest. He leaned in slowly and she kissed him again, her arms wrapping around him in a secure lock.

They would usually experiment with their limits, whether it be in Gwen's room that Kevin would sneak into on a late Saturday night, Kevin's room, Kevin's car, the secret fishing rock, the beach...They knew their limitations, but they loved the thrill of being so close, trusting each other so much.

Kevin broke to catch his breath, his lips moving to her neck, lightly leaving a trail of kisses down her throat. Her breath caught and she giggled breathlessly. Maybe she _was _drunk. "Love you."

She felt him smile softly against her pulse. "Love you too babe." He kissed her pulse once. Twice. He rubbed her arms as he kissed her again, his mouth gently moving against hers. Now _she _was just a bunch of mush. She slumped against him, not kissing him back as sensually as he was, but almost lazily. His calloused, yet soft hands rubbed her back, moving down her waist and resting at her hips. He rolled his hips against hers slightly and she gasped, her cheeks heating at the close contact. He parted, chuckling. "We should stop." He sighed, unwillingly. It sucked to be responsible.

Gwen pouted, looking like an adorable five year old. "Why?"

"Well, this isn't a very private place after all," he mused. "What if someone caught us?"

"Mmm...what if someone did?"

Gwen and Kevin nearly jumped out of their skins. Kevin ripped his hands from her hips and they sat up straight, faces scarlet.

Micel looked rather amused, almost disgusted. "Sorry to interupt you two. I just wanted to see how you two were doing. I heard you had a little field trip today."

"We're fine," Kevin answered, his voice a bit choked up. He cleared his throat, trying to maintain casualness. "Great place you've got here."

"Thank you. Well, good to see you two are...enjoying yourselves. A later time perhaps."

"That would be great. Thanks."

Micel nodded and walked out. Kevin sighed heavily, the blush in his cheeks remaining. "That was almost perfect timing there."

"Do you think he saw the whole thing?" she asked, mortified.

"God, I hope not," he cringed. "It's awkward enough with your parents. Or Ben."

"But it's even worse if the Prince finds you." She shuddered. "I can only imagine if the Queen found us."

Kevin thought about that. Then he grinned, laughing. "It'd be kind of hilarious actually. The look on her face would be priceless.

Gwen groaned, rolling her eyes. Boys would be boys, she guessed.

xXxxxXxxXxXxxxxx

"I guess it doesn't matter if they have powers from alien ancestors," the uncle muttered in revulsion. The food on his plate were left untouched. Food wasn't a need to Anodites like it was to humans, it was just for amusement. He just didn't see the want for it now. "They're still horribly human. Human teenagers with rampaging hormones on the brink of destruction."

Micel chuckled at his uncle's expense, seeing the disgust practically clouding his aura. He frowned then. "It's just a shame that such a girl is so human. There's so much potential in her. Is she experienced as most magicians? No, but she's just as capable and strong as them. She's had so much energy that she nearly had it take over her human body and remain Anodite."

"The boy," the uncle hissed. "The boy is our problem."

"Well, he helped her come back the first time," Micel reminded him. "Another time, she had her aunt to pull her back to reality. It's not just Kevin. It's her family, her friends. It's every human experience that brings her down."

"But this-" His uncle shouted, thrusting his arms out, gesturing to every square inch of the outside of Anodite. The view from atop the palace showed the beautiful sky, the trees, the glow of the people, the beauty and nature of the planet. "Is not enough to keep her here." He sighed heavily. "This tires me, really."

"Then rest."

He shook his head. "No. We need to figure out a way."

"Another time uncle."

He stared at his nephew, anger and frustration melting. Admiration. Sadness. "It's a shame you weren't my son Micel. Ever since my brother died, you've been more of a child to me than Athena."

"You've been more of a father to me than my own. But you still love Athena enough, don't you?"

"You're worth more than her." He paused. "Gwendolyn would be even worth more than Athena. She would be a wonderful Queen someday."

Micel smiled. "After sometime, you will receive what you wish for. All good things come to those who wait."

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A/N: Teehee :D I was planning on getting this up yesterday, but power went out and I was stuck on working on Microsoft with another story collection D: Sorry for the delay!

Review? :D


	11. Chapter 10

A/N: Hai everyone :D Here's another chapter for ya guys. I know most people are probably out enjoying the sun or locked in a hotel room with their annoying cousin when it's out pouring outside even though you REALLY want to work on your pale stomach at the beach- (ahem) Sorry. Rant. Haha, let's get this show on the road, shall we?

Imperfection

~Chapter 10~

Hera pushed the long strands of colorful beads aside, entering her father's meditation room. Posters of the goddess were all over the walls, along with her mother's paintings of scenery and their family. Her father sat on a lucious pillow that laid in the middle of the hardwood floor, holding an orb of bright white light in his hands. The brightness provided warmth in the dimly lighted room, the candles remained untouched. His aura also added some light, shining beautifully and slightly rippling like calm lake water.

"Father," she breathed.

He blinked a few times as he came back to reality, the orb of light fading. He smiled and clapped his hands. The candles lit instantly, lighting the whole room. "Ah, darling Hera. You caught me in my meditation."

"Oh...um...another time perhaps?" She couldn't wait any longer though. She itched to get answers.

"No, no, it's quite alright." He waved in front of him and she sat down, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. "So what is it that you want to discuss with me? Is it boy trouble? I seem to get that most often."

Hera sighed. Her father was an intuitive as well, able to see future events, not in general, but in relationships. He could sense future tension between a couple, or an upcoming battle between two planets. If he ever sensed trouble with people against Anodine, he would report it immediatly to the Plumbers base. Or if he saw a new romance blossom in the future, he would give the news. It was fairly useful, and people trusted his visions enough.

"Not for me," she shook her head.

"A friend?"

"Um...for Ben Tennyson, Gwen Tennyson, Kevin Levin, and Prince Micel."

Her father's eyes widened. "Oh. That's uh...quite an expectation dear. What's wrong?"

"Prince Micel...he..." She trailed off, unsure of what to say. She couldn't tell him the whole story. It seemed unbelieveable, and even if he did believe her, what could he possibly do? Prince Micel would deny any claims and Hera wasn't even sure of the future dangers. Her father looked at her suspiciously now. "Tensions," she blurted. "I can sense tension between them father. It...it worries me."

His face was softer now, still holding concern. "Hm...well. Hold on for a minute." It only took a second. With a flick of his wrist, four sheets of paper dropped out of thin air, along with hundreds of colored felt markers. "What a mess," he tutted. He waved his hand again and the markers stacked themselves in midair, organizing themselves by color. "Magic is an amazing thing, novelty spells or not. Now." He began to draw the fours' faces, coloring them in exact detail. The pictures became lifelike on the paper. He needed a clear image of the faces he needed to see, that way he had a clear concentration so he could find what he wanted. "OK. Now I need absolute stillness and concentration on your part," he warned, placing the pictures between them. "Visualize their faces."

She nodded, closing her eyes and focusing. She remembered the timid smile on Ben's face as he tucked his game away when she came into his room. Gwen's smile as Gwen greeted her formally, a situation that surprised her since she was usually the one being formal to others. Kevin's nod and quick hello. He wasn't as formal as his girlfriend or as kind, but kind enough. Then Prince Micel...the look of knowledge on his face as he caught her about to talk to Ben. The look that told her he knew that she was suspicious of him, and that she was correct about the notions she had of him. He was dangerous, and it was an indirect threat that she should be careful.

"Ah!" Her father's sudden gasp broke her concentration, bringing her back. He looked concerned now, almost fearful.

"What is it father?"

"I sense betrayl. I don't know from what side...anger. So much anger. But the furthur future remains unclear..." He groaned, rubbing his forehead. "Oh, this pains me beyond comprehension Hera."

"Do you need anything? Medication?"

"No, just..." The pain faded, his features stilling. He became more grave, more serious. "Hera. You must warn them of danger, avoid Prince Micel if you possibly can."

"What will he-"

"I don't know darling, all I know is that he is the one that is causing conflicting emotions, messing with the relationships, not just the romantic ones, but the friendships."

Hera gasped. Gwen and Kevin...they were so close. Kevin and Ben were close too, almost like brothers. And Ben and Gwen...they were family. What was going to happen? She stood up. "Thank you father. Thank you."

"Go, Hera. Leave for the palace. Warn Ben, Gwen and Kevin."

"Yes father." She ran from the room, the beads hanging from his doorway clashing together noisily as she dashed through them. She exited her home and raced outside, narrowly avoiding bystanders on the streets. She could see the palace in the distance.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Palace guards stood at the closed gate. She swore under her breath and slowed down. Micel's doing, she was sure of it. Maids, dancers, performers and other certain workers were allowed on the grounds at any time. So why was their security at the gate, blocking anyone from entering? She cleared her throat, stopping at one of the guards that stood directly in front of the enterance. "What is going on?" she asked.

"Outside workers are on a break for the week miss," he said, his voice gruff. She looked at him, looked at the others. All a light blue, with a buff build, just as powerless as a human weightlifter. It didn't intimidate her as well as they thought they were. "It's the royal family's wish to grant all the hardworking citizens in the city a peaceful rest."

"What about the maids that live in the palace? The cooks?"

"They remain inside. They have nowhere else to go anyway." The guard sighed, exasperated. "Look little lady, just take the break why don't you. Enjoy your time off, and quit your complaining?" He sneered, looking her up and down. "A pretty girl like you must have someone looking for you. Why don't you go with me to the fountation later on. Maybe we can chat. Talk about what you do here. Are you a florist? A painter? Maybe a dancer. Yes, a dancer. You have the frame for it." A few guys next to him chuckled, watching on. The seriousness that they pasted on their faces before was gone now.

She snorted at him, glaring. Her aura flared as her anger rose, his eyes widening a bit. "Heed my warning: There is something going on in that palace. Something disturbing will happen. Something catastrophic, something that will tear the royal family apart."

He glared at her now. "Is that a threat?"

"No. A warning, a message." Then with one long lasting look at the palace, she turned away, walking back home. _I'm sorry Kevin...Gwen...Ben...there's nothing I can do here._

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A/N: Ruh-row! Trouble calls! review :D


	12. Chapter 11

A/N: I'm going to have another baby brother! :D I already have a twenty month old baby bro, but my parents thought it would be a good idea to have another one because I'll be graduating in two years...(oh my gosh. Two years. Jesus.) It's pretty damn exciting! :D And speaking of babies...my Baby Steps story is doing better than I thought it would! 18 favorites...wow-ee! xD Thank you guys SO much!

Imperfection

~Chapter 11~

Gwen followed an Incursian Plumber (very few are civilized and peaceful) to Verdona's room. She had been looking for the room when he walked by and overheard her. He was in the room next to her, and he was more than willing to help Gwen find the room. "You're very kind to do this Commander Synthax," she smiled warmly.

"Ah, I know," he chuckled. "I get that a lot. It got annoyin', a bit frustratin' at the Plumbers Academy, always gettin' accusin' stares thinkin' I'm just some sorta spy or somethin'." He shook his head. "I still get it, but I'm used to it."

"Oh, I wasn't accusing you of anything," she frowned. "I was just thanking you. I'm lucky to have bumped into you. I can't read any of the numbers or...uh..." She looked at the engraved marks on the polished opaque blue glass doors. "Letters?"

He chuckled. "Well thank you Ms. Tennyson."

"Call me Gwen."

He smiled. "Well Gwen. You can call me Synthax." He stopped at a door and knocked. Verdona chimed a "come in!" and the door slid open. Gwen gaped at the room, remembering from the Extranet website that each room had a charm that reflected each person's desire.

The room wasn't lavish and luxiorous like Gwen, Kevin or Ben's. It was a normal human master bedroom with wooden dressers, a normal king sized bed, vanity and closet. Clothes were flying from the closet, the styles mixed with vintage and modern. A hand threw a pair of platforms onto the bed and Gwen realized it was a _human _hand. "Um...Grandma Verdona?"

"Hm? Gwen?"

Gwen was stunned to see that she wasn't in the beautiful, elderly woman disguise she had before. Instead, she was a young woman, maybe eighteen, with a lean, yet curvy body. Long auburn hair flowed down an inch past her waist, her light tan skin glowing under the dome light on the ceiling, and her eyes- the color of clear cut jade- glimmered.

Synthax cleared her throat, a bit embarassed to see Verdona clad in a matching camisole and boyshort set. "Gwen wanted to see you, so I brought her up."

"Oh, thank you Synthax. How very kind of you."

Synthax nodded, smiled at Gwen one last time, and left the room. As soon as the door slid closed behind him, Verdona swept Gwen into a warm hug. Gwen relaxed in her hold, comforted by the feel of soft human skin and the scent of lavender and vanilla. "What's with the new look?" Gwen asked, looking up. Gwen could see a light dust of freckles on her cheeks.

Verdona parted and cursteyed, grinning. "This is what I looked like when I saw Max again." She sighed. "I grew out my hair, changed my eye color. I kept the hair color because it was a part of me that fit just right...but my eye color needed to go. You see, before I came back to Earth, I did a little research on humans. I was interested in the myths of the Greek gods and goddesses, because an Anodite tribe exploring Earth helped inspire the story. I was interested with Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The most beautiful, but marrying the most hideous of gods, Hephaestus. I learned of her gemstone, the emerald. The stone of love." She smiled sheepishly, reminding Gwen of a flirtacious cheerleader.

"That explains my eyes...the only ones in my family with green eyes are Ben and Ken."

She grinned. "Genetics work in mysterious ways, don't they?" She pulled Gwen to the bed and they plopped down. Gwen felt the comforter, a bit surprised by how scratchy the material was. But with a start, she remembered that this was the past, Verdona's desire. She wanted to restore the past, bring back the times when her and Max were newlyweds and didn't have the stress of children. Verdona had regrets for not staying with Max on Earth.

"Gwen? What's wrong?"

"You just...miss Grandpa so much. Why did you leave him?"

Verdona's young cheerful smile faded, creases lining her face and aging her complexion. "I love him, Gwen, I really do. I just love my home as much as I love Max. I feel better here than I do on Earth. People except me for who I am."

"Max accepted you, as did the friends you made on Earth."

"Yes, but I know Max is the only one on Earth that cared about me."

"And he wasn't enough to stay with your own children?" Gwen asked furiously, cheeks flaming in anger. "Your _grandchildren_?"

Verdona's face softened as she understood the pain in her words. "None of them knew the _real _me Gwen honey. I felt like I was in a cage, the true me locked in for so long." Gwen flinched when she cupped her face, her thumb rubbing at the threatening tears on her eyelashes. "Gwen, do you feel accepted at all on Earth?"

"Of course I do! I mean...s-sure I have a few girls at my school that don't like me but..." Cherise, April and Mary. They were jealous of her being in the limelight and had pronounced to the whole school that Gwen had an abortion after having sex with Kevin. It was unrealistic, and everyone at school knew it. They ignored the three, as did Gwen, and the three hated her even more for the exile. "But other than that," she added quickly, seeing the pointed look she gave her. "I have friends and family that support me. I like fighting alongside with Ben and Kevin, protecting my home, my planet, my...my everything."

"Ben gets more attention than you do, but here, you're treated like the hero you deserve to be. You're powerful, _young._"

"Sunny is more powerful than I am!" Gwen sighed heavily, turning her head away from her hands. "Why is _she _not recognized?"

"She's leaving her home to wed Antonio in a few months. Besides, she isn't the one that has saved the universe countless-"

"Ben did that! _Ben_!"

But Verdona ignored her. "And, Sunny is uncontrollable and immature. Selfish. Irresponsible."

"The goddess wouldn't give her so much power if she would do wrong. She's ought to do something remotely..." She trailed off, frozen in shock in realization of what she said. The goddess of these people's faith wasn't hers. She and her parents went to church every Sunday morning, and she would say her prayers whenever she thought it was needed. So why did she say it like this religion was her own?

Verdona smiled and rested her hands on Gwen's shoulders. "Gwen. Listen to me. This is _your true home_. You can still have friends and family, still have trouble breathing after running for too long, still have your hands ache after breaking a board. You can still be human. You can still be you." She smiled more softly and Gwen slowly relaxed, still doubtfully digesting what she was saying. "Don't be like silly old me and run away. Visit us as much as you visit Earth. Escape the mess of the human life and be...the real you." She patted her and got up to go to the bathroom.

Gwen stared at the hands in her lap, curling and uncurling her fingers. She studied the lines in her palms and the cuts on her fingers. Her hands began to glow and she hissed at herself, shooting from the bed. She opened the door and quickly walked back to her room. "I'm just a human with special gifts. Not a completely different being..." Yes, what Verdona said was true. It would be nice to visit Anodine everyonce in awhile, see Verdona, maybe even learn new things from her. But leaving Anodine and Earth back and forth, like a child torn between two divorced parents wasn't an option. She was staying on Earth, occasionally visiting Anodine.

There was no other option.

xXxXxXxXxXxxxXxXxX

Ben found himself walking to Prince Micel's room. He hadn't asked directions from the maids or looked door to door. He just knew by walking down the hallway that was covered with paintings of the goddess' consort that he was pretty damn close. Micel's room was seperated from the others, at the very end of the dark blue hallway.

He stopped at the door. What was he doing? Yes, he knew something was going on between that one girl Hera, and Micel. But was Micel really going to say anything, if something was actually going on? It was doubtful, but it was worth a shot.

"Ben?"

He turned to see Athena walking towards him. "Um...hey Athena."

"What are you doing here Ben?" she grinned, asking a bit too loudly. "Going to talk to Micel?"

"Um...that was the plan."

"Oh! Was it meant to be private? Sorry!"

"No, it's fine." Before Ben could say anything else, Micel opened his door, holding a glass of wine. The look on his face held a genuine mix of friendliness and surprise.

"Oh, hello Ben, Athena. Come in, come in."

"Thanks." Ben walked in, raising an eyebrow. Everything was blue and white. Even the pillows and blankets on his bed were pastel blues and whites. There were beanbags pushed against his stainglass window, which was- surprise- blue. With all the pastels, it was a bit girly. Where were the manly statues? Paintings of battle scenes? Did this guy have a thing for blue or what?

"Sorry about my room," Micel sighed. "It isn't as tidy since most of the maids left and are on break."

Ben eyed the wood stand next to the bed that only held a glass vase filled with glass blue and white beds and fake lilies. "Um...it's fine actually." He saw the tray of salad and freshly baked bread next to the beanbags. Eesh. Where were the chili fries? Cheeseburgers? Smoothies?

Athena snorted. "You should see mine. There's shavings everywhere."

"Shavings...?"

If Micel had pupils, Ben could see that he rolled his eyes. "She's into recreating war scenes. She uses either clay or wood. She doesn't have an affinity, and isn't all that great-"

"Hmph!"

"But there's many completed scenes from all over the universe. The Eastern and Western Appoplexian Civil War- quite a messy deal. The Mania-Rufia Revolutions, and yes they had more than one...even the World War 2 battles. Hitler was creative, I have to admit. A mad man, but creative."

Ben glanced at Athena nervously. Athena giggled and shrugged. "I don't know what it is. Violence is just entertaining."

This giggly girl that had told him a heartfelt tale of the goddess' creation of the universe, was totally into violence. It was like a four year old girl into playing the God of War games. A bit disturbed, he turned back to Micel. "So...what happened between you and Hera before?"

Athena gaped at Micel, shifting her gazes back and forth to Ben and Micel. Finally settling on Micel, she grinned and sat back on his bed, with no obvious intent of leaving. Micel glared at her, then sighed, smiling timidly at Ben. "Me and Hera...we...had an argument," he said sheepishly.

"Not meaning to dig into your business, Prince Micel, but what was the argument about exactly? She looked pretty freaked."

"Oh, it was just about our...er...relationship."

Athena squealed with delight, but shivered in disgust. "She's so..._unroyal _Micel."

"Exactly my point. You see Ben, it was very hard for me. She's a pretty girl yes, but unroyal."

"What does her royalty mean?" Annoyance creeped into his voice.

Micel seemed taken back by his question. "No one in this family has married an unroyal. I didn't mean to disturb you. It's just the way we are. Back in our first generation, we had to interbreed to keep our bloodline alive. As soon as that tradition faded, we married into other Anodine royal families. My father lived in the Mana dama Court."

"Woah. Woah. Interbreeding?"

Athena snorted, still grinning in excitement. "Disgusting isn't it? Our great-great-great-great-great grandfather married his cousin on his mother's side. They had four kids and they all married each other. They weren't in any royal positions though." She paused thoughtfully. "Well...Yyzelta married a princess from Mana dama and gave way to the Mana dama royal family, but still..."

Ben took the strange information in and shuddered. Weird how things worked around here...

Micel sighed. "I think you've said too much Athena."

"Oh, sorry!"

"So is that all you wanted to ask me Ben? I'm sorry if Hera's interaction with me scared you. She'll be gone for the week though, and things will calm down by then."

"Why is she gone anyway?"

"Oh, it's just something we do once every year for the workers. Everyone living outside the palace that works for us has a week to rest. They usually have a celebration or festival of some sorts." Athena sounded bored now, obviously all her excitement ebbing away from the previous conversation. "I would like to go."

Micel shook his head. "Don't get involved. It would be best for them."

"Right."

Ben questioned them a bit about the things that their culture did for a little longer. Right at the moment, he wanted to remain friendly to the Prince. If his suspicions showed any, things would get uncomfortable around here. He knew there was more than a little relationship problems. Micel seemed convincing, but so did Micheal Morningstar. Actually, when he thought about it, it was a bit strange how close their names were...hmm...He was going to have to do some serious detective work to understand what was really going on.

Detective Tennyson had a nice ring to it.

xXxXxXxxxXxXxxX

"Hera got to Ben, Uncle."

His uncle snorted. "Knew it. Petty servant couldn't keep her mouth shut." He looked at his wife. "Clarise."

"Mm? Yes Apollo?"

"Wine. Please."

Clarise nodded. She knew what they were planning and she knew his impatience was wearing thin. She fetched him his wine and handed it to him. "How long will we keep this going Micel? It's been two days."

"Four days at the most Aunt," Micel said, gazing out of the window. He saw Gwen walking out of the guests' headquarters, obviously upset by something. She had human skin, but through his eyes, he could see an aura glowing with frustration surronding her. He glared at his aunt. "This needs to be a team effort. It's not just me."

Apollo took a sip of his wine, thinking. Then his eyes widened and he smiled. "I know just the thing that can bring her back." He downed the rich wine and placed the empty glass on his table heavily, droplets of crimson dotting the burgundy wood.

* * *

A/N: (pantpant) Phew! DONE. This took forever to type :P REVIEW!


	13. Chapter 12

A/N: I keep getting wonderful feedback :D I love you all, like you have NO idea :3 SO I got my report card back AND I'M GONNA BE A JUNIOR. HELL TO THE YEAH. And it's all thanks because there weren't any osmosis questions on my Hon Bio final exam xD I was seriously worried about the osmosis questions. Ironic thing is I was looking forward to osmosis because of Kevin (hurp durp, such a geek :P), and I totally flunk at it. Haha, well anyway. Besides that.

This story is starting to move forward~ And after updating this chapter, Brooke, if you're reading this, I will update He Said, He Said. Promise! :D

Imperfection

~Chapter 12~

Five days had passed. Ben, Gwen and Kevin enjoyed all that Anodine had to offer. They hiked furthur into the forest surronding the palace and went to the village that Verdona lived in. They were incredibly nice people, giving them a special dance and lunch. The lunch was a native dish from an animal that lived in the forest. Kevin, being the skittish one when it came to weird foods, nibbled on it, while Ben snarfed it down, thinking it tasted just like chicken. Gwen and Kevin watched Ben attempting to dance with a few girls, but he tripped over his own feet and fell. Kevin enjoyed that a bit.

Kevin even had Verdona take them to the Plumbers base to retrieve the Rustbucket so they could fly around the planet. Gwen was in a better mood with Verdona, knowing that she was only wanting to see her grandchild more. Verdona pointed out where Sunny lived before she moved to marry Antonio on his home planet. The city was like the Paris of Anodine, Verdona had explained. It was more focused on entertainment than their religon or any of the royal families. It was all dancers, singers and actors, all spirtually gifted. Then there were magicians, fire dancers, artists and writers. Dancers did every movement that existed, and singers did various languages.

Then they explored furthur across the planet, walked through a thick forest. Verdona showed them different plants and animals. Ben had an incident with a bunny looking animal, almost having his thumb gnawed off. Gwen plucked a flower from a bush, remembering the flower that Verdona made for Grandpa Max and that Kevin gave her.

Ben, Gwen and Kevin hung out at a natural hot spring in another town, and met other citizens. Ben earned his respect from many people, as well did Gwen and Kevin. Kevin was a bit surprised by the attention, but enjoyed the praise. Gwen smiled over him, seeing him bow back and thank everyone that thanked him.

One night, after a long day of walking, they all sat together with the royal family to eat dinner. The Queen asked how they enjoyed their stay and Clarise, Micel's aunt, asked about Gwen and Kevin's abilites. Kevin enjoyed bragging about his strength a bit, and Gwen timidly told the story of how her abilites were discovered and of Lucky Girl (Ben choked on his food a bit at the look on Kevin's face when Gwen brought up the cat suit).

Ben did some exploration of his own in other towns and forests, meeting other citizens and villagers, showing the varoius aliens he could transform into. Gwen and Kevin shared some romantic times of their own whenever they got the chance.

As Gwen enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feels of her surrondings, she realized how much this felt like a vacation. She felt so relaxed and whenever she fell asleep, she knew her day was well spent. On the fifth night, she snuck into Kevin's room while he was asleep, and slept there. The next morning she woke up to the smell of bacon. She yawned, stretching out her legs. She turned to see him sitting up, watching her with a grin on his face. "Mornin' sunshine. Didn't know that you decided to sneak in. I would've stayed up and had a long, heartfelt conversation with you."

"Mmm...maybe next time," she smirked, sensing the subtle sarcasm in his suggestion.

He chucked and grabbed the breakfest that waited for them. Bacon, eggs, waffles, english muffins with butter and jam, and a nice tall glass of orange juice. As they ate, they brainstormed what they wanted to do for the day. Gwen wanted to see the royal library and Kevin wanted to go to the Plumbers base and meet some of the Plumbers there. They fought over it in Rock Paper Scissors, best out of three. Kevin argued that paper couldn't beat rock, but Gwen eventually won in the end. After Kevin grumbled and complained, Gwen went into her room to get dressed and get ready for the day. After they were done, they went into Ben's room and saw him playing with his games.

"Really Tennyson?" Kevin rolled his eyes.

"What? The Queen said that all she ever wanted was for us to be content. And I am," Ben grinned, waving his PSP in Kevin's face. Before Kevin could grab it and smash it into oblivion, Gwen sat in front of Ben on his bed, crossing her legs. "So what's on the agenda for today? I don't have anything planned. I feel like I saw a lot in the past few days. It's almost been a week now, hasn't it?"

"Library," Gwen smiled sweetly as Kevin groaned.

"Seriously?" Ben frowned, his happy-go-lucky face dropping quickly

"There's a few books in Latin I can roughly translate. One in French too, and the only one in English is the Plumber's rulebook. But the main focus is the spell books."

Ben lit up at that. "Awesome. Really awesome. Maybe you can copy some spells and use them later on in a battle or something."

"That was the plan." She held up the small notebook and pen in her hand. She saw the excitement on Kevin's face as well and sighed. "Did you think I was just going to do this to torment you?"

"Yes. Reading is torment, next to tearing off my fingernails and ripping my eyes out." Kevin sat down and shrugged his shoulders.

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Drama queen. Besides, you have to read for your GED."

"Shit. Serious?"

Ben rose an eyebrow. "You're taking your GED? When?"

"Next year while you guys are in college."

Ben frowned. "And where are you going to live?"

Kevin snorted. "I'll be fine. I have enough money to rent an apartment and I have a stable job at the auto shop." He laughed. "With all the alien invasions recking cars, our place is booming with business."

"And what if an alien attack does-"

"As much as I appreciate your concern Benji," Kevin cut in, grinning. "There are other Plumbers that can help me out. Helen and Manny are more than willing to help. Alan is definantly improving and Pierce will check in with you guys to see how you're doing. If we need to you to save the universe now, you'll be there to help. I'm pretty sure your college can let that slide." Kevin cooed, batting his eyelashes. "But oh...I don't think I can live without you Ben. Now that I know how much you care about me."

"Ew."

Gwen giggled and got up. "C'mon. Let's get ready to go."

"'Kay. Just gimme a second to brush my teeth."

"Aw, gross Ben! You didn't brush your teeth? Is your game that important?"

Ben stuck out his tounge and ducked into the bathroom. After a minute or so, Gwen sighed. "Are you almost ready?"

Ben popped out of the room, toothbrush jammed in his mouth. "What do you think?" he tried to ask with a mouthful of toothpaste. He went back inside and Kevin messed with the PSP, muttering and cursing when a bad guy got him. After five minutes, she called, "Ben! Giving you 30 seconds or I'm taking your PSP and breaking it in half! One-"

Ben rushed out of the room, clothes rumpled and sneakers half tied. "Ready!"

xXxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Micel asked, eyes shifting to his guard and to the people around him. People bowed respectfully for their prince, while some others gawked at his presense, unsure what to make of it. He lowered his voice. "Are you even sure that you want me here with you?"

Apollo snorted. "Please. Don't be ridiculous. And this should be the place. I caught one of the magicians whipping up something in the kitchen, making a drug and selling it to the highest bidder." Apollo shook his head, examining the house. It was blended in with every other homes, white marble with ivy climbing up the walls and the wooden door. "I asked where he captured the ingredients and I promised I wouldn't tell anyone of his illegal actions. He was more than willing to tell after that threat."

"And how will a _drug_," Micel whispered even lower. "Be able to solve our little problem?"

"Be patient with me my nephew. You shall see. Come now." He knocked on the door and they waited impatiently. A light lilac man opened the door and he gasped wildly, his eyes gluing to the guards then Micel. "Hello."

"I...I" the man choked and he dropped to his knees, clasping his hands. People began to watch now and Micel seethed. "Please sir! I do not mean any harm! I swear by my goddess that I do not intend on being reckless! I'm struggling to make a living out of what I do, and it's not going too well for me. I'm an ameteur at best and-"

"Stand," Micel commanded, silently yet sternly. "Do not make a fool out of yourself. We don't present ourselves to scold you. We only attend to visit your home."

The man blinked, confused. Then with some relief he stood up and smiled gently. "I'm sorry for that. Thank you sire. Please, come in." He brought them inside and Micel gazed around. There were bottles filled with various colored liquids, pickled foods, and spices. They stopped in his living room, a small, dingy place lit up by a small light purple light lazily lit from the ceiling. "So what do you wish to discuss?" He closed his eyes, concentrating. Two plush pillows sat on the ground and he waved towards them.

Micel sat down along with Apollo. "Actually, my uncle needed to talk to you."

Apollo watched the nervousness on the man's face. "I'm in need of a potion."

"And what potion are you in need of?" With another look of heavy concentration, a thick book thumped loudly on the floor, making everyone wince.

"A girl in my palace is in need of shedding her human skin," Apollo explained casually. Micel fought a smile and Apollo contunied on smoothly as the man's look of curiousity shifted to shock. "We are in need of the potion before it's too late for her."

"And this would be permanent, I presume?" the man rasped.

"What's wrong? You can make it, right?"

He cleared his throat. "I can...It's just that it hasn't been made in the longest time. The last time I remember someone doing it permanently is...well...I can't recall. She can't do this herself?"

"She doesn't know how to. Isn't trained. It would be easier to have a potion."

"Well, the potion causes a painful process, I warn you. The person can be quite rash."

Micel frowned. "What do you mean?"

"The girl might have insane thoughts or do certain actions that can chase off friends and family that know nothing about the potion. She will do these things, and once the edgeness wears off, she regrets them fully and may become deeply depressed."

"I don't see this being a problem," Apollo shrugged. "Anything we can do to destroy her human skin. She wants this off as quickly as possible. It's tainting her."

The man chewed it over, uncertain, but knowing disagreeing with royalty's orders with their guards surronding them wasn't the best idea. "I can do this then. When do you need this?"

"Now."

The man nodded and opened his book, taking a few minutes to find what he needed. He seemed clumsy as he called his ingredients, but according to the magician Apollo talked to, this man made great potions. Illegal potions, yes, but they worked well enough for someone not to care. Micel and Apollo watched him mash the ingredients and balancing them on scales. The guards shifted uncomfortably. Usually if they were to find someone making illegal deals, they were to take them immediatly to the Plumbers. Now that royalty was involved, they didn't know what to do. "The Queen will wonder where you are sire," one guard spoke to Micel.

Apollo snorted. "Clarise will cover for us. We'll be fine. As long as no one says anything about this, we'll be clear."

The man cleared his throat and gave Apollo a tiny vial of clear liquid that was plugged shut. "Let me remind you that this will be a painful process for her."

"Yes, yes, I understand," Apollo sighed. "Now what do I do with this?"

"You can mix it into a certain food or drink to cover the taste. It's extremely bitter." The man looked at him, terrified still. "I hope that she will be well after the effects wear off."

"Of course." Apollo stood up and nodded at the guards. "Take him to authorites. No one will ever know about this."

The man cried out when a guard snatched him up. "B-but you said-"

"People will be suspicious of our motives if we come out without you. What would _royalty _want with a dirty commoner such as yourself?"

Micel watched as the guard dragged the whimpering man away. "Do you think this is just Uncle?"

"The man is a drug dealer. I'm not letting a man like him roam free. Scum like him deserve to be locked up." Apollo chuckled. "Come now nephew. We must follow with our plan. You want this girl, do you not?"

"I do." Micel frowned. "I was set on making Hera understand. Humans are imperfect, unpure. They make countless mistakes. She makes the mistake of trusting us, but...she's so powerful. I can see the beauty of pure energy shifting through her skin. She's amazing Uncle," he breathed.

"Yes, yes. Well now. Let's make our leave."

Micel nodded and followed his Uncle out of the home, following the guards that were dragging the screaming drug dealer away.

* * *

A/N: Ah, I feel kinda bad for the drug dealer ^^; But whatever, you know? My character, my rules. So, I hope everyone in America had a wonderful fourth of July and had some wonderful BBQ while seeing some amazing fireworks :)

Like I said before, after doing this chapter, I'll be working on He Said, He Said some more. It hasn't been touched in a few months ^^; Yeek! Sorry Bevin fans and Brooke haha :)

Well...review! And to the people who watched the Casey Anthony trial: Do you think Casey's conviction was just?


	14. Chapter 13

Imperfection

~Chapter 13~

"Gosh, I'm exhausted," Gwen sighed heavily, lounging on her bed. She shifted through her notebook half-heartedly, looking at the hundreds of spells neatly written in cursive. She tossed it to the ground and rolled onto her stomach, her groan muffled by one of the pillows. Translating the spells and figuring out what they could do was difficult and made her head throb like she had a terrible migrane. Her knuckles throbbed and there was still the annoying sting of a paper cut on her finger from before. Since Kevin was taking a shower and Ben was talking to the Queen, she figured it would be well deserved for her to take a nice, long nap.

As soon as she closed her eyes, there was a knock on the door. She got up and smiled. "Hello Clarise."

Clarise smiled apologetically. She held a silver platter with two jeweled goblets. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Sure, not at all." Despite not being able to get some shut-eye, it was still nice to see Clarise. She was really nice, not as bubbly as Athena, or gruff as Apollo, or reserved like Micel. She was easy to talk to. "Come in. Is this for me?" she asked, pointing to the goblets.

"Oh, yes, it's a special juice I make that calms me down and helps me rest. Food isn't a necessity for us, but it's a mood changer." She passed the goblet encrusted with garnets to Gwen. "You've had a busy day today."

"Oh, it's no problem," she assured. She peeked inside of the goblet, only seeing a foamy blue liquid. "What's it made of?"

"A few plants in the garden from the guests' headquarters. The nectar from the flowers help a person fall asleep. You seemed rather tired. I made some for Ben and Kevin too, but they're busy at the moment." Clarise took a sip of hers, smacking her lips in satisfication. "Ahh...so Gwen, you are in...college?"

"I will be soon."

"Ah, that's right. You're still in high school. You said you were busy with exams coming up."

Gwen nodded and took a sip of her drink. She gasped and choked, appalled by the extremely bitter taste. It reminded her of the PCP taste test in Biology, but this seemed even worse. It burned her tounge and throat, her teeth ached and her gums seemed to swell. The juice fizzled in her mouth and when she swallowed it as fast as she could, it left her mouth numb. She coughed, wiping her mouth. "What _was _that?"

"My special juice." Clarise smiled sheepishly. "The taste is horrible, but you sleep soundly and the taste fades soon after the first sip. You'll want more in no time." Gwen waited impatiently, fighting the urge to gag. After awhile, the numbness faded and she realized that she was right. Her mouth and her throat began to soothe and the desire to drink was unresistable. She took another drink and sighed breathlessly. It was delicious. She downed the glass and Clarise laughed. "You see? Now, you'll rest in no time dear." She picked up the tray and set the two goblets on it. "Sweet dreams princess."

"Mmm, thank you." Gwen laid back, snuggling into the pillows of her hammock. Clarise closed the door and Gwen closed her eyes. She was still in her jeans and tank top, but she was too tired to change into her pajamas. Her breathing slowed and every muscle in her body seemed to unwind. Even her knuckles. Sleep covered her like a warm blanket. She smelled the scent of laundry detergent and a strawberry and creme scented candle. It felt so much like home here...

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

"So what is it that you wish to discuss Ben?" the Queen asked polietely. She gestured to the plush couch across her desk. Ben looked around, amazed by how big her office was. It was like the Oval Office met ancient Rome. Marble mixing with plush blue carpet, the desk plate carved from a marble slab and the stainglass windows showing the goddess holding children, smiling in pure joy.

He cleared his throat, sitting down. The technology on his wrist felt strange in a place like this. "I just wanted to know if we were a burden to you your Highness. I mean, we were just visiting the planet. We didn't mean to take over and-"

She laughed cheerfully, sitting at her desk. "Oh, it _pleases_ me to have you here Ben Tennyson. Such silly doubts from such a young hero. We all adore your company. Other royal families have messaged me, saying how wonderfully your treated their people."

"And your brother and his family?"

"Apollo admires you, which is strange for him." She sniffed in annoyance. "That's a rather hefty compliment from him. Athena admires you, as well as Clarise."

"And Micel?"

She looked taken back by that. "Micel likes you as well. He is particually fond of Gwen, actually. Whenever he talks about you or Kevin, he seems to come right back to discussing her. Your cousin is quite an attraction to our people. There are young girls that show potential to great power, but nothing like her. She's a great warrior." She cleared her throat, a bit embarassed. "But you are still a great hero, of course."

"Thanks." Ok. Suspicions started to creep in. Hearing how Micel looked at her, talked about her...then the whole thing with Micel and Hera, the panic and fear Hera presented when Micel cut into the conversation. Maybe there was more to it than just relationship and bloodline issues. Hera was definantly going to warn Ben about something and Micel seemed to come in at just the right time.

Gwen. "Oh man."

"What is it? What's wrong Mr. Tennyson?"

"Nothing, nothing...just...uh...bathroom." He clutched at his stomach. "I think I ate too much this morning."

She smiled and waved to the door. "I won't get in the way of your human concerns Mr. Tennyson. Go ahead. I'm glad we had a chance to speak privately. I hope you are comfortable after...this little process ends," she laughed.

He laughed as well and nodded. "Sure thing." He ducked out of the room and ran straight to Kevin's room.

xXxXxXxxXxXx

"Are you sure about this?"

Clarise nodded. "She's deep asleep now. The effects of the potion should be taking its full effect soon."

"Excellent," Micel nodded in approval. "Thank you." He sat on his bed and closed his eyes. He imagined the magnificent Gwendolyn Elizabeth Tennyson in the graceful, true Anodite form she was meant to be. She would be a better Queen than his mother.

"What should we do about Ben and Kevin? They would be concerned about her if she wishes to remain here."

"The man told us that the side effects of the change would chase off her loved ones. At least, the ones who do not know of the potion. Ben and Kevin would leaved her be."

"And when she realizes what she has done?" Clarise stood next to his bed, crossing her arms. She narrowed her eyes, disapproving of her nephew. "I supported the idea of her being Queen. She would be an excellent leader. There are still flaws in your plan."

"Yes, but who are you to correct me? You only hold royalty because you married into this family. Your parents passed you off so they could maintain their position. You have no control over me." He opened his eyes, smiling. "So I will let this happen. I will not let anyone stand in my way, or question my authority. I was hesistant at first, but I know this will work."

She glared at him. She couldn't believe he was serious. He wasn't cautious of any possible mistakes? He would say humans were imperfect, always making mistakes. And what was he doing, the hypocrite? Being just as imperfect as humans. "I just wanted you to understand what my concerns are," she said sternly. "You're my nephew, no matter how I got into this family, no matter what position I hold. I care about you."

"I'm quite fine Clarise, though I do appreciate the concern," he responded lightly. "You should see what Apollo is up to. Athena may feel lonely."

"Very well then." She mockingly bowed and left the room. Anger was obvious in her aura and palace workers quickly averted their gazes as she swiftly walked past. "Very well," she repeated to herself, stopping next to a goddess painting. "If this is what he wishes, he shall carry on with this plan. But goddess, I have enough faith in you that you will make everything alright, even when everything is so wrong."

There seemed to be a glimmer in the goddess' bright, wise eyes.

xXxXxXxXxXx

"Kevin, we need to talk."

As soon as Ben walked into the bathroom, Kevin was caught by surprise and nicked himself while shaving. He cursed, touching where his jawbone was scratched, and turned to Ben. "What was so important to talk about that you needed to-" He cut off, seeing the Ben's look of seriousness and fear. It was written all over his face and in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I think something's wrong with Gwen."

Kevin's panic switch flicked on immediatly. "What the hell happened?"

"Well, she's fine now," Ben assured him. "It's just..." He toned down the panic in his voice, taking a few deep breaths of his own. "There's something going on here. I just don't trust Micel." He watched Kevin's face as he thought of a reasonable clue as to what Ben was trying to say.

Kevin put down the razor and calmly stood there, hands unclenched by his sides. He was fighting the urge to run to Micel's room and demand what he wanted from Gwen. "So what do you think is going on?"

"Micel has been taking an interest in Gwen. I got that from the Queen herself. Hera, one of the workers who live in the town, was about to warn me of something until Micel came into the room. And isn't it a bit of a coincidence that that the royal family made workers living out of the palace have a break when we're here?"

"Hera is one of the workers..." Kevin trailed off and his eyes widened. "Shit. You're right." He swore again, the curse a deep growl. He gripped the counter top. "How did I not see anything?"

"You've been keeping her busy, and that's good. As long as Gwen isn't alone with Micel, everything should be fine. Then we'll leave Anodine as scheduled and if we ever visit again, we'll never visit this place again."

"Sounds like a plan." Kevin glanced up, his grip on the counter loosening. "Have you talked to Gwen about this?"

"She's still asleep."

"I'll wake her up." Kevin wiped the bit of shaving creme that still remained on his cheek and walked out. He stopped at Gwen's door, looking over his shoulder. "Isn't it strange how Micel kind of spells like-"

"Michael? Yeah."

"Strange how things work huh?"

* * *

A/N: Phew! I'M BACK! Haha, sorry it's been awhile :) Hopefully I get some reviews? :D


	15. Chapter 14

Imperfection

~Chapter 14~

Gwen woke up to the warm, deep thrum of Kevin's voice. She smiled a little, satisfied with knowing that he was at her side. She blinked once or twice, trying to clear the fogginess of her eye sight and arched her back, stretching out everything in her body. She never felt so relaxed in her life. "Mornin'," she mumbled with a tired laugh. She curled up against his body, inhaling the masculine, clean scent of him.

"It's about night time here. I don't know what you took before you slept, but it must've had something funky in there. You sound loopy." Kevin chuckled and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her forehead.

She sighed blissfully. "Clarise gave me a drink to help me sleep. It was really nasty at first, but then it tasted sooo amazing." The words were slurred and she made a drunken giggle at the sound of herself, which made her laugh even more. She looked up at his face, seeing he looked amused and a bit concerned. "Did you go to sleep?"

"Nope."

"Whaddya do then?" She began playing with the long strands of the hair on his shoulders. "You really need a haircut," she added quietly, almost to herself.

"Oh, just showered, shaved, normal routine." Gwen looked closely when he said he had shaved, realizing a light patch of stubble on cheek.

"You didn't shave very well."

Kevin felt his face, then swore. "Guess I didn't. I was talking to Ben."

"Oh?"

"Yup."

Amoungst the fog in her mind, she sensed tension from him. She frowned, reading his face. "You two didn't have a fight did you?"

"No."

"Then...what did you talk about exactly?"

"I just talked to him about things here."

The giddiness faded from Gwen's mind. She sat up and rolled off of Kevin. "What's going on," she asked, sitting up.

"It's...Micel." He sighed. "There's this interaction between you two. He seems attached. Even the Queen admitted that Micel was interested more in you than Ben or me. Espicially Ben."

She laughed. "Are you sure that it's not just the typical protective boyfriend instinct that you normally have around guys? Micel isn't exactly my type," she teased. She laid back on Kevin and trailed her fingers along his collarbone exposed by his baggy shirt. "As much as I appreciate the concern-"

"It's not just me. It's Ben too."

"B...Ben?" The smile began to fade from her face as she realized the seriousness of the conversation. She wasn't becoming fearful like Kevin expected. Instead of a frown or a grimace, she was smirking. It was the first time Kevin had ever seen a certain...smugness from her. "Of course. I've been getting more attention from everyone else than Ben has. I'm the 'female warrior' that everyone's been talking about." She sighed and began messing with Kevin's hair again. "You two are just overreacting. Are you sure you're not homesick?"

"No, it's not just that it's-" He cut off. Maybe it would be better off if Gwen didn't know anything. They would be leaving in a few days anyway. Like Ben said, as long as Gwen was kept away from Micel and caught up in the entertainment of Anodine, they could leave and never interfere with the palace again. "You know, maybe you're right. Maybe I am overreacting."

She rose an eyebrow, smiling a bit more softly now. "That was quick."

"Well, you're always right."

"Mmmhm." She nuzzled into his neck. "I'm still a bit tired."

"You still want to sleep? I'll leave you alone, if you want."

"No." She was quiet for a bit, making Kevin think that she had changed her mind. "Let's go see Verdona."

"Are you sure? That's a bit of a walk."

"Good." She swung off the hammock and grabbed her shoes. "That'll wake me up then."

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Micel lazily sipped his drink, lounging on his chair while shifting through a book. He wasn't reading, merely skimming along the pages. He had read the book so many times, he could recite each chapter line by line. He tossed the book to the side in boredom on top of the other hardcovers tossed carelessly on the ground. He looked out of the window, seeing Plumbers chatting by the fountain. He began to wonder what it was possibly like to work as a Plumber. Maybe he could use that as a conversation starter for Ben and Kevin. He couldn't be avoiding Gwen, for it would raise suspicions, but he also didn't want to talk to her too much. Maybe when they all had dinner together again, maybe he could-

"Enjoying your books now, hm?"

He looked away from the window. "Oh, hello Uncle. I thought you were with Clarise. I'm sure she tattled on me."

"She did," Apollo chuckled. He took a seat next to Micel with a heavy sigh. "She went on and on about how rough she was having it, trying to keep everything a secret, trying to make sure nothing was to happen. She isn't the only one who's having it rough."

"Ah, and who would that be who is 'having it rough'?"

Apollo blinked. "Well, you and me, of course. But...apparently you are doing fine. Very relaxed. Confident even. So maybe I'm too paranoid, like my wife."

"I'm slightly worried, but I'm not dwelling on the situation. Obsessing yourself with trying to make everything perfect would only seem to make matters worse. So, yes, I am relaxed and enjoying myself." He felt annoyance sneaking in, and quickly straightened himself. "So, how is Athena?"

"Obsessivly talking about our three guests. It's a pain, listening to it all." He chuckled. "So maybe I ought to relax too."

"Yes. You should."

xXxXxXxXxXxX

Kevin attempted to dance with a few spiritually gifted young girls, and they giggled as he stumbled over his feet, cursing at his uncoordination. Gwen and Verdona smiled as they watched him. "Kevin reminds me so much of Max," Verdona said softly.

"You keep saying that," Gwen said. "How does he exactly remind you of him?"

"Well, he is wonderful. He has a certain attitude about him, very handsome...and I noticed he loves his car like a lover."

"Wait. Grandpa Max loved his car...?"

Verdona chuckled. "Oh yes. This shiny cherry car he practically built from scratch."

"Wow. He doesn't have it anymore..." Probably ever since Verdona left Earth again, after all the grandchildren were born. She frowned, saddened by the reminder, but quickly shook it off. She didn't have any time to dwell on that. She came here for a reason. "Grandma."

"Mm?"

"I was wondering...about staying here longer."

* * *

A/N: Uh-oh. Is the spell already working? Find out :D Review please? I'd love some feedback!


	16. Chapter 15

Imperfection

Chapter 15

Kevin wondered through the hallways, remembering the directions Ben gave him when Gwen went back to sleep. After they visited her grandmother's village, Gwen had been quiet, yet held some sort of satisfaction, then told Kevin that she was still tired after all, leaving Kevin to his own devices. He immediately went to Ben and asked for Micel's room.

Kevin found the door in a long blue room, with paintings of the goddess' consort, Micel, hung over every inch of the walls. He grimaced, obviously noticing the prince's smugness about his name, and knocked on the door. Micel answered within seconds. He was a bit surprised, and then smiled. "Hello Kevin, what a surprise. Are you hungry at all? One of the maids is making dinner for me right now. When she gets here I can ask her to get something for you."

"Thanks." Kevin looked around, noting what Ben said about the way Micel's room looked. Yeah, totally looked girly. Did this guy have any self-respect at all? "Where can I sit?"

Micel gestured to the bean bag looking seats in the corner that were surrounded by piles of thick looking books. Kevin sat down and felt himself sinking in into the plush. "Is there something that you wished to discuss?"

"Yeah." Kevin wasn't hesitant when it came to protecting Gwen. Yes, she could handle herself just fine, but when that protective boyfriend side of his kicked in, he was ready to question anyone that stood in his way. "Look, I know I'm not the nicest guy, and I know that you're going to deny that." Micel's eyes widened in surprise. Kevin snorted. "I really don't like having other guys being around Gwen, alright? I don't care if you're a prince or whatever. Whether your human or a royal energy being, I don't care. No one hits on my girl behind my back unless they're looking for trouble."

Micel smiled. "You seem to be mistaken Kevin. I know you really care for her, but-"

"You can't deny anything Micel," he chuckled, the laughter not holding a trace of amusement. He stood up- though difficult doing so when he was sitting in a low, plush bean bag- and stared him straight in those blank white eyes. The aura surrounding Micel grew brighter, and Kevin realized he was getting angry. "I know you. The Queen said it herself about how you talk about her all the time. She's mine. I'm not going to let some light blue loving pansy prince try to hit on my girlfriend. I've been through a lot with her. You don't know how long it takes for us to try to regain trust after a fight. Every argument, every make up...it makes me want to protect her and keep her away from anyone else. She's mine. I won't let you touch her."

Kevin came to say what he wanted to say. He watched Micel's face as he let the words sink in. And when they finally did, when he saw the nano-second of a change in Micel's facial features, Kevin smirked smugly and walked out of Micel's room.

xXxXxXxXxXx

"Hi Athena."

Athena looked up from the flowers, her eyes widening. "Oh, Ben! Hello! What are you doing in the palace garden?"

"Just thought I'd say hello," Ben smiled warmly. He knew how much Athena admired him-maybe even loved him, more like-and he knew that talking to her would be a breeze, unlike her father, Apollo. "Are those roses? They look like the ones on Earth..."

"Yeah, they are. These don't have those prickly parts on the stems though." She plucked a satiny red flower from the bush and handed it to him. The stem was a light purple, with blue veins running along them. "They're carnivorous," she smiled with glee. Ben frowned, handing the flower back and making her laugh. "They only eat what you human call, worms." She stroked the petals and cooed at it. "Gosh, Daddy and Momma aren't getting along too well," she sighed. "They've been arguing a lot and they ignore each other. More than usual."

"Usual...?" When Ben first arrived, Clarise and Apollo seemed like they were totally in love, hanging on each other (well, it was mostly Clarise, but...).

"Yes." She huffed in annoyance. "Daddy thinks he's so much better than Uncle, who was originally the King, the one who died from the nervous breakdown."

Ben pursed his lips. "I'm sorry but...how does someone die from a nervous breakdown?"

"Well, in your humans' case, a nervous breakdown may lead to higher blood pressure or a heart attack, which can immediately lead to death. But you were wondering how it happens in an Anodite's case?" When Ben nodded, Athena smiled. "Don't be feeling too awkward to ask. It's just fine. Actually, the way that Anodites can die, is through their mana fading from their bodies. If we're too stressed or we lose interest in living...we can either incidently lose too much mana or intentionally drain all of the mana from our bodies. When Anodites suffer a major breakdown, like my Uncle did, they lose control and their mana flushes out of them...and they can't get it back. There's no spell alive in this universe that could possibly put mana back in their bodies...or bring them back to life.

"My Uncle and Dad were rivals. I knew they always argued. Dad would always say how Micel's mother deserved better than him. They would always fight. Of course, I was too young to understand at the time, but my Mom and my Dad always tried to talk about it when they thought I wasn't around. I understood what was going on." She put the flower back on the bush and vines and flowers sucked it back into the bush. "My father has probably had his eyes on that throne for a while now..." she murmured quietly, any trace of happiness gone. She mourned now. "My Uncle...he was so kind to Micel and my Aunt. He was better than my own father...he treated me so kindly and assured me even though I didn't have a certain position in the royal family, I was just as an importance."

"Too bad your father didn't see that huh?"

Ben knew he came to the right person.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The next morning was fresh and new to Gwen. She felt so happy and full of energy. She stretched out her legs and strutted to the bathroom to take a hot shower and brush her teeth. After eating a hot breakfest that had been delivered to her room while she had showered, she walked to Kevin's room. "Hi. You're already awake?"

"I went to sleep as soon as you did," he grinned. He was reading a business college textbook. Gwen rose an eyebrow. "I had thought about taking online colleges soon after I got my GED." He patted the bed on the spot next to him and she plopped down, gazing at the pages. Looked easy enough to her. But that was a different story for Kevin.

"You didn't eat dinner?" she asked.

"We already ate at the village, remember?"

"Oh, right. Their soup is really good."

"I'm just glad I wasn't seeing any animal parts floating around in it," Kevin chuckled. "Yeah, it was good."

She was quiet for a while. "I was talking to Verdona."

"Mmhm?"

"And..."

"Annddddd what?"

Gwen smiled. "I was wondering if we can stay just one more day. I'm really going to miss Verdona. She's so nice, and Anodine is just so pretty."

Kevin was hesitant at first. "Um...sure, I guess."

"Awesome! Great, let me tell Ben! Is he awake?"

"I heard the water running, so he probably is."

Gwen rushed out of the room. Kevin sighed. He knew he was going to have to deal with that question at some time. Fine. They could stay a day longer. It would be weird to Gwen if Kevin quickly denied the request, and she would be asking questions. He didn't want to know any of the suspicions Kevin and Ben had about Micel. This just meant another day trying to keep Micel and Gwen seperated from each other.

The hot spring was always a nice place to keep Gwen occupied.

* * *

A/N: Ah, did Kevin go overboard with trying to protect Gwen? Hmmmmm. Review! :D


	17. Chapter 16

Imperfection

Chapter 15

Kevin had seemed protective over Gwen, despite his assurance that he was just homesick. Gwen knew that he was still trying to keep her away from Micel. Kevin actually took her to the Plumbers' headquarters to get the Rustbucket for the day. They explored other cities furthur west from the palace. There was ridiculously long picnics on the ship, and Kevin started meaningful conversations. She knew he was trying to make her comfortable with all of this, while still being under close guard. It pissed her off, but she managed to be a good girl, like she had practiced for so many years.

After Kevin's exhausting trips, she went to Ben's room while Kevin got ready to take a shower. "Hey, what're you doing?" she asked, seeing Ben on his laptop. "Playing Sumo Slammers?" she grinned.

"I _was_," he admitted sheepishly. "But right now I'm chatting with Helen through the Extranet to see how everything's going on Earth."

"Oh." She sat down next to him, looking over his shoulder to read the last message from Helen.

_hwheels: so far so good. we're surprised that no one's taken advantage of your absence (knock on wood). pierce is still suspicious, and so is manny. everyone is still on the look out for trouble. so how's anodine?_

Ben typed in a short and sweet message, saying how nice the palace was. Gwen smiled. "Ask her how Manny's doing."

"Why?"

Gwen laughed. "It may just be me thinking it, but Helen may have a crush on him. And vice versa."

His eyes widened, then he grinned, laughing. "Why did I not notice that before?" He put the question in. "So how was your date with Kevin?"

"It was good." Annoyance creeped into her tone. Ben noticed this and rose an eyebrow. Gwen sighed and examined her nails, which were almost bitten to the pink. "It was really nice. It's just...I feel like I'm being guarded. You two have been talking about Micel and it feels like you two are protecting me for nothing."

A blip came from the computer, signaling Helen's response. Ben ignored it and pressed on. "I don't think that's the reason why he did that Gwen. Look, he probably just wanted to show you more of Anodine. There's a lot to this planet, and even though you have an extra day, you haven't seen the half of this place. He really does care about your happiness Gwen. I'm sure if you just told him you were uncomfortable with it all, he would-"

"Yeah, you're right," she cut in, her voice clipped. "What did Helen say?"

Ben frowned, knowing that Gwen had been smart enough to see into Kevin and his motives. He read the message out loud, trying to be sucked into the drama of Helen and Manny's friendly, complicated web of a relationship.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"Your Majesty."

The Queen turned from the maids, escaping the droning argument of changing dying flowers from the garden, to see Gwen in the dress she had given her on her first visit. Gwen curtseyed and the Queen bowed. The maids took the signal of the want of privacy, and they scurried away, still heatedly discussing their topic.

"Hello Gwendolyn. How was your day?"

"It was really nice your Majesty," Gwen nodded polietely. "You have such a beautiful planet."

"Ah, it does not belong to me Gwendolyn. It belongs to everyone." She smiled grandly. "But, yes, I agree. It is such a beautiful place. The Goddess and her consort did such a wonderful job."

"They did." Gwen nodded again. "I was wondering if it was alright with you if the three of us could stay a little longer, if it does not displease you." She curtseyed again and the Queen frowned. She remembered Ben the day before, how he was concerned about being too much of a inconvience.

"I'm unsure..." she hesitated. "Are Ben and Kevin-"

"They want to stay," Gwen said quickly, making the Queen jump in surprise. Gwen relaxed. "It's just that I wanted to stay longer, learn more about Anodine."

"What about your studies?"

"I can always make them up."

"But-"

"Do you not like us?"

The Queen froze. "Of...of course I like you Gwendolyn. You are kind to our people, thoughtful and careful about people's feelings." She tried for a smile, but Gwen still seemed tense. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," she said crisply. "Ben, Kevin and I will stay another day then. Then we shall leave your palace and we won't be a bother to you any longer." She turned away, leaving her paralyzed with confusion. Did she accidently say something offensive?

Humans were so fragile these days...

xXxXxxXxXxXxXx

Micel approached the door and turned to look at the other two across the hall. Both doors were closed and from the crack, he could tell both of the boys were still awake. He quietly knocked.

"Come in."

Micel opened the door to see Gwen brushing her hair on her hammock. In her pink dress, long soft auburn hair, flushed skin and fierce green eyes, she looked beautiful, even though she was still human. Her features softened. "Oh, Micel, hello."

"You seem upset," he murmured, closing the door behind him. "Am I disturbing you?"

"Of course not. Please, sit." She put down her hairbrush and he sat down. "So what brings you in here?"

Micel sighed. He had taken theatrics back in his elementary years in the palace with private classes. Maybe it would be nice to put them to good use, not that most of the things he would say weren't true. "I'm worried about you and your...mate."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks heated. "Kevin? Oh, no, he's not my mate. And nothing bad is going on. We're perfectly fine. We aren't arguing or anything like that."

"I know it appears so, but there's so many doubts running through my mind now. What is your history with him?"

"It...well...when I was ten and Ben found the Omnitrix for the first time, we had been traveling around my country for the school holiday, with my grandfather, Max."

"Max Tennyson," he nodded sincerely. "One of the finest Plumbers in history."

She smiled gently. "Yes. Well, we went to New York City one day. That's when we found Kevin. He's an energy absorber, and he was attracted to the Omnitrix's power. He was a bad person at that time, but...there's been past events in his life that had lead to his troubles."

"How so?"

She hesitantly told the story of Kevin's father being murdered by protecting Max, and how Kevin absorbed energy in his father's absence. This led to Kevin's insanity and so forth. Micel listened to the story with interest, only having secondhanded backstories from other royals, even workers. This human-Osmosian mix had a difficult past. "...and everything is good now. We have our arguments at times, of course, but that seems to make us closer."

He pursed his lips. "Wouldn't you want someone that doesn't have the...'baggage'?" He stumbled on the last word, unsure if that was the right metaphor to use, but when realization etched her face, he knew he used the correct term.

"He's the perfect person for me, no matter what his past was like," she said furiously. "He's funny, handsome, and he can be romantic at times. Can he be jealous and protective when I talk to other guys? Of course, but that means he cares for me. We've literally fought for our relationship to work out. No mean to be rude, but why in the world are you questioning my relationship?"

Anger. Flare. Defensiveness. Side effects of the potion. He smiled. "I'm jealous of him, of course."

Shock ran cold through her. Her cheeks paled. "You...you aren't _serious _are you?"

"Of course I am." He didn't need to act dramatic for this. "This..._man _is able to capture you. Even after all the trouble that he caused, he still managed to take you. And here I've been in this castle, hearing stories of this brave young woman. When I saw you...despite you being human...you...you _glowed_. You glow with mana Gwen. It's absolutely beautiful, the power you posess." He traced a finger along her jaw, feeling her shudder at the touch. Her eyes were wide and her lips were agape in disbelief. "To be human...I can disguise myself, like all Anodites can, but it just doesn't feel right. It must be maginficent being like you."

Then she jumped up. "I...have to go." She briskly walked out of the room and closed the door. Micel smiled, and chuckled, sitting up.

"Well, that worked out better than I thought it would."

* * *

A/N: Where's all my readers? D8 review please?


	18. Chapter 17

Imperfection

Chapter 17

Kevin towel dried his hair as fast as he could. He tossed the towel on the damp tile ground. He really hoped Micel didn't sneak into Gwen's room when he was showering. He sighed and yanked on a pair of boxers. "Don't lose it Levin," he said to himself with annoyance. "Don't be paranoid." There was a knock on his door. "Come in," he answered, pulling on his sweatpants.

Gwen opened the door and her face immediatly turned red at the sight of him shirtless. Kevin grinned with pride. "See anything you like?" He chuckled when she looked down. "So what brings you here?" She was still looking down and she began to fidget with her dress hem.

"You...love me don't you?"

Woah. Where did _this _come from?

"Of course I do Gwen. What's wrong? You-"

That's when she attacked him.

xXxXxXxXxXx

The Queen looked up at the goddess' statue, her fingers locked in prayer. _Oh Goddess_, she thought, sending her message. _Something is wrong here. Ever since my beloved passed, everything has changed. _The water bowl in front of her held a lone petal. The petal did not move, signaling that she was busy with other matters. _Please here me. I am grateful for everything you and your consort have created. Every gift you've sent to us...the gift of life is incredible. However, I feel the need to express my doubts. I feel so weak. Am I fading, like my love had?_

The petal slowly began to sink. The goddess did not like this question. "No, don't go!" she pleaded. The petal stopped. She sighed with relief. _Thank you. Just...undertstand my concerns creator. Please, I need guidance. Will my future be bright?_

The petal did not move, the water surface smooth as glass. The Queen slumped in defeat, ready to dump the water onto the statue's feet to close the prayer. Then the petal turned, halting her motions. Slowly, it moved to the left.

"No...please do not tell me _this _is my right path," she whispered in mortification. The west path meant certain death.

Then the petal disappeared into the water, never to rise again.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Kevin found himself tangled with Gwen on his bed, their mouths locked. It just felt..._amazing. _At first he had thought that Gwen had gone insane, but when her tounge lightly traced his bottom lip, asking for enterance, any sense of his well being flew out the window. Her fingers danced along his collarbone, practically turning every bone in his body into mush. She tasted so sweet and comforting, and every touch of her fingertips drove him wild. She began to trace the contours of his chest and stomach, making him smile against her mouth.

He brushed his fingers along her waist and nibbled on her bottom lip, spurring her on. She attempted to speak, the words caught in his mouth and vibrating through their connected bodies. She made no furthur attempts and pressed on. His hands slyly moved to her thighs, slowly moving their way up to her stomach and nearly passing out when he felt lace.

She moaned and moved away to catch her breath. Instead of pushing him away, saying that they probably were pushing their limits too much, she began kissing his neck.

"What's up with you?" he chuckled. He lightly nibbled on the skin beneath her earlobe, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo. "You seem excited."

"I am," she laughed rasply. She gasped when he began to write his name on her stomach. _K-E-V-I... _"I just felt like experimenting. Is that a problem?"

"We sure as hell can." _N-E-T-H-A... _"We can experiment as much as you want. I don't mind one bit."

"Of course you don't," she laughed. _N-L-E-V-I-N. _She giggled when he finished off his name with a smily face. "What was that for?"

"Just saying hi," he grinned.

She rolled her eyes. "Just kiss me you big goof."

He did just that. His hands remained where they were, his fingers absorbing the warmth of her soft skin. Everything about her was soft. Was every girl like this? Why did guys seem so rough? The thoughts were muddled as they kissed, too caught up in the wonderful tastes. It was just too much to handle, but he just couldn't stop. All he could do was want...want..._want. _

Then he realizedhis body seemed like it was losing control. The brain connection was frizzled. Within his mind, he tried to pull back, tried to find a reasonable way to stop. It was just to hard. His heart beat was spastic, beating against his ribcage like a drum. _Stop...just..._

Her fingers locked around his, holding his hands tight against her skin. She tugged them, and he thought at that moment she would stop this. This was enough, and he knew it. He couldn't push his limits, not now. But she moved them up her body, the kissing slowing, heating up in a smoldering way he couldn't describe-

"Gwen!" he breathed. That was the snapping point. His fingertips stopped at the underwire, so close to the temptation any teenage boy couldn't resist. Gwen pulled away, eyes wide. Her face was flushed and her lips were bright red. She panted, trying to catch her breath as he was. "Woah girl...I think this is good enough." He tried to collect all the intellect he could, as hard as it was to when he noted her dress was bunching up at her waist. He pulled himself away, scooting away. "That was...really nice."

Her eyebrows furrowed. "N..._nice_? Kevin, did I do something wrong?"

"No, not at all." Where her fingers touched his chest and stomach seemed to burn, leaving trails on his skin. "It's just...right now is not the good time, you know? What if someone come in and found us like this?" He smiled. "I'm pretty sure that would ruin our reputation."

Something changed in Gwen. It scared him, shocked him cold still. She frowned and sat up. "Well...okay. Good night." She began to walk away.

"Don't you...want to sleep in my room?"

"I'm fine." She looked over her shoulder and shrugged. "Micel won't be seeing me anytime soon, I imagine." The door seemed to echo in the silent room when the door slammed shut.

* * *

A/N: Ahhh drama :) Is Gwen seriously PMSing or what? Haha, I tried publishing this last night, but screwed up :/ sorry! school's starting this Wednesday so it'll be back to work :D I'll try to update as soon as I can, but I'll be working at a ZZ Top concert tommorow, so I'm going to be pretty busy...Hope you review!


	19. Chapter 18

Imperfection

~Chapter 18~

"Dude. What the hell just happened?"

Ben was just about to blow out the candle when Kevin stormed into his room. His hair was a bit wet and stuck in all directions, his sweatpants crumbled and messy. Ben froze for a moment, unsure of the situation, then slumped into his bed. "Uh. I don't know. You tell me." Kevin attempted to say it all in one breath, his arms flying all over the place in crazed gestures, but Ben was just too damn tired to follow. "OK. Repeat _slowly _this time."

Kevin sighed, stopping his frenzied hand gestures and trying to calm himself. He still spoke in a panic, but Ben could at least understand him clearly. "Gwen came into my room and asked me if I loved her, which was a pretty damn stupid question if you ask me, and I told her that I do. Then she just attacked me."

"A..._Attacked_?" Ben tried to see bruises or cuts on Kevin's skin. There weren't any, but the only thing he realized was Kevin's swollen lips. Busted lip? Oh. No. "So you two...made out, you mean?" Ben shuddered. How many times had he caught his cousin and Kevin kissing in the back of Kevin's car? In Kevin's garage? In Gwen's house? In the back of _Gwen's _car?

OK, well it was a lot, and they just brought back some pretty disturbing images.

"Yeah," Kevin went on quickly. "Then she tried to...push herself. I didn't want to push anything, because I want to be good to her, you know? I want to take things slow, 'cause it's the right thing to do. Then she just got really pissed off and everything and walked out the room."

"Wow." Ben didn't like relationship issues, which was why he tried to do his hardest not to screw up with Julie. When other people came to him for relationship advice, he would always go to Gwen first for secondary resource. Now, in a situation like this, it probably wouldn't be such a good idea. "Maybe..." he began uncertainly. Kevin tensed, eyes wide with panic, yet some hope that Ben had some good advice. "She just wanted to go furthur." _Ugh. Bad images. _"And she just felt rejected when you said no."

"But I never intended to-"

"I know, I know. Maybe you can talk to her in the morning." He began to remember what Gwen used to tell him. "When a girl is usually upset about something, they just need a few hours to themselves. They get some sleep and think it over. After a hot shower and some breakfest in the morning, you can try to talk to her about what happened. She'll come through, she always does."

Kevin was hesitant. Ben felt sorry for him, knowing Kevin had never been through anything like this before. "OK. Thanks man. I can do that."

xXxXxxXxXxXxXX

Gwen's heart hurt.

It wasn't like the certain pain when she would eat too much greasy food. It was burning, deep and smoldering in her chest. Each beat it took just sent a wrench through her. _Is this heartache_? she wondered as she laid on her bed and turned off the lights. _What just happened back there?_

_Well I realized something. Micel is better thank Kevin._

"No, no. Kevin's always been good to me," she murmured. "He always is."

_Has he? All those other times he's flirted with other girls right in front of your eyes. What about the time that he kissed Charmcaster?_

All human teenage male hormones.

_Micel was right though. Micel doesn't have a horrid past like Kevin does. No drama. _

Like Kevin ever had a choice. Like he chose for his father to be murdered. He didn't know that absorbing energy was bad for him when he was a child. Like he chose for all of those things to occur to him. Also, Micel did have drama of his own too. He was to be king after his mothers passes, and his father had died when he was a child. So both Kevin and Micel has had it rough over their lives.

_Micel is royalty. You can go places. You can learn new things. People everywhere can respect you for who you are, instead of people swarming Ben. Everyone on this planet respects you. Remember the young children?_

She didn't need any of that. She had a wonderful family, right on Earth. She didn't care about the fame she was getting on Anodine. Yes, it was annoying that Ben received all the credit for all the heroics, but she didn't dwell on it too much. She didn't care about royalty. Being a Plumber let her see many places, many cultures. She didn't need Micel to experience life.

_What do you need Kevin for? Having a good kisser? Learning to fix a car? Using him as a shield during a fight? Yes, he's a "bad boy" too, but what is he really good for?_

He's stayed at her side. Even after he returned from being a monster, he was still good to her. He was always at her side, promising to never do wrong again. He's promised her that he would do whatever she wanted.

_Is that really true? Why did he push you away like that earlier? _

He was being careful. How many times had she preached about abstinence during a 16 and Pregnant marathon? Kevin had learned his boundaries, and he didn't want to push it too far. He acted like a good boyfriend, and she just pushed him away. It just wasn't fair to him.

_But with Micel, you can push yourself. Despite the side effect of pregnancy, you want to experience it._

"I am _not _some _skank_," she hissed under her breath. She coughed, her lungs aching. "Kevin is the best person for me. We've fought by side. He's been doing so well. He...he..." Her eyes burned and her throat tightened. _What the hell is wrong with me? I feel so weak...God, I know Kevin loves me. He always has, despite our past arguments. _

_"You don't know much of anything," _Kevin had told her in a fit of rage. He had been mutated by the Omnitrix in an accident. He had hated how he had turned out, and she was used as the scrapegoat for his problems.

_"I wasn't flirting with her. We were just talking for God's sake. Jesus, you don't have to seem so possesive. Loosen up. _He had apologized for that a few hours later, but it didn't mean that he had to be so mean like that. Then the other times when she would tell him to stop focusing on his car...well, those were moments when she really question if the car was more of an importance than she was.

"But he's still been good to me," she whispered again. Hot tears scalded her cheeks as she slipped into sleep.

* * *

A/N: Dear LORD. Sorry guys, I've been gone away for so long :/ I was updating other things, then there was a bitch called Irene that killed the East coast's power. MD was out for a week! Then there was school. So, I'm in the school's media center as I write, so I tried to cram as much as I could into 30 minutes xD I'm supposed to be reading about the Salem Witch Trails, but come on. Really, I know enough about it already :P

Review! PLEASE I BEG YOU TO REVIEW.


	20. Chapter 19

Imperfection

~Chapter 19~

Kevin stood at Gwen's door, his heart beating against his ribs at an alarming rate. His feet tapped against the floor, his fists clenching and unclenching as he heard the footfalls and rustle of fabric. He heard the rushing water of the shower and heard her quietly go through her suitcase, looking for something to wear. _Don't be freaked out Levin. It's all good. Maybe Gwen's just PMSing...it's a normal thing, right? Jesus, just don't do anything stupid and screw this up. _He hesitantly knocked on the door. She sighed. "Come in."

He opened the door and pursed his lips. Gwen sat on the edge of the bed as she brushed her hair. The brush strokes were slow and gentle, meaning to take her time. "Hey."

"Morning." She sounded so calm, which to any guy translated to issues. Kevin gulped, tugging at his shirt collar.

"I wanted to talk about last night."

She shrugged, eyes down as she still brushed her hair. "Never happened."

Relief flowed through him. Every tense muscle in his body untangled and felt loose. "That's good to hear." He took a few cautious steps forward, then stopped. She still looked upset. Her lips were tightly pressed together, and her body seemed closed in. She was still upset. "Look, I know what I did was wrong. Maybe I should've just let-"

"It never happened," she repeated quietly. "It never happened at all. All of it..."

"All of...what exactly?"

"All of...this." She put her brush down and brushed her fingers through her hair. Loose strands fell and she stood up, picking them off the rug. "You don't have to worry about it anymore."

He frowned. What was going on? What the hell was she talking about? His stomach churned as doubting thoughts ran through his mind. "What is 'this' and 'it'? What are you even talking about?"

Her eyes, sharp and clear, hooked on his. Then he saw. A light glow literally appeared around her. Her skin seemed brighter, her eyes as well. Her hands...every emotion seemed to glow. His stomach sank as he realized. "Oh God Gwen," he choked out.

"I should have never even let you in my life," she sighed, shaking her head. "I would have been so much better off. If we haven't met you when we were kids...I could've just let things be so much easier. If I never went on that damned summer vacation with Ben, I wouldn't be here right now. I could be in school, I could study. I wouldn't have to worry about my powers, worry about losing control."

"You can't be serious," he laughed. He felt his heart about to drop in his stomach. He gripped her shoulders. Her skin seemed hot against his. "After everything we've done? After everything I've done? Gwen, what the hell is going on through your mind right now? OK, look, I'm sorry about last night-"

"This isn't about last night Kevin," she spat. Spittle flew in his face, stunning him. She yanked herself from his grip, rubbing her shoulder. A large red handprint had marked her skin. "This has been going on for months. Your money, your car. You seemed so much more focused on those things than me. If it was the car getting crushed to a thousand pieces or me being crushed, you'd rather me."

Anger boiled inside him. His hands shook. "That's bull shit Gwen! How many times have I fought by your side and with Ben? I've protected you-"

"For what? To get out of jail, to not worry about some authority finding you and bringing you back to the Null Void-"

"Gwen, I never-"

"All those times you've flirted with other girls. All those other times you made me feel like shit? Why didn't I just dump you in the first place?"

"Gwen, _please_-"

"Begging won't get you anywhere. You know I'm right. You can't fix your mistakes now Kevin."

"Gwen-"

"You've killed people."

"Only because I-"

"You never even considered your morals have you? Your father had more respect than that-" She cut off with a cry, crumbling to the ground. Kevin panted, looking at her. Her cheek was swollen. Kevin looked at himself, seeing his hand throbbing by the force he had put. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Fine. Have fun trying to get back home then."

xxXXxXXxXxXxXx

Ben prayed that things would turn out. But as soon as Kevin stormed into Ben's room, slamming his Sumo Slammers suitcase shut, he knew something was wrong. "So...how'd it go?" he chuckled uncertainly. Kevin didn't look up as he walked into Ben's bathroom. He heard the rattle of cabinets and clinks of his toothbrush. "I take it that it didn't go too well."

"That's an assumption," Kevin grumbled.

"What happened?"

Kevin froze in the doorway. Then he shrugged and looked over his shoulder. Ben stuck to his chair when he saw Kevin's watery eyes. "Earth's waiting for us."

* * *

A/N: Ahhhh. Review?


	21. Chapter 20

Imperfection

~Chapter 20~

When word reached the town people's ears that the Earth guests, Benjamin Tennyson and Kevin Levin had left Anodine, gossip spread like a wildfire. Gwendolyn Tennyson still remained in the palace. What had happened? Had Gwendolyn decided that Anodine would be her permanent home?

Hera pursed her lips as she passed others on the streets. Workers were due back to the palace, their holiday over. She had known that this would happen. Workers outside the palace would leave, and Ben and Kevin would strangely leave the planet without Gwen? The feelings inside her were beyond suspicions. She understood that this was Micel's doing.

"Hera!"

She looked over her shoulder and tried for a smile. "Hello Mya."

The elder woman caught up, her face bright with emotion. "Have you heard? Ben had left, without a word to us. How rude is that?"

"I don't know Mya…" she trailed off. "Maybe he had to answer to a call. Earth is his home."

She sniffed disdainfully. "He could have at least said goodbye. 'Thank you for letting me stay' and so on. But what still gets me is why Gwen left." She poked Hera with a pout. "You're close with the Queen. Do you have any ideas?"

The mystery of why Gwen Tennyson remained had been told about in various forms. She wished to stay on Anodine with her grandmother to learn more about her powers. She had an argument with Ben and Kevin, and they had left her. She wished to be royalty, and so on. Hera could only hope it was the first story. Hera sighed and shook her head. "So are you still planning on working in the palace? Shouldn't you start your own business?"

She snorted. "And miss out on all the dramatics of the royal family? Of course not." Mya was an elder with the affinity of spirit, with the talent of painting beautiful artwork and sculpting. "And what about you? I'm sure the Queen would still like to keep her messenger. I'm sure she needs all the information she needs. We're going to be getting a lot of guests, espicially since Ben left."

"And why do you believe that?"

"To see what's been going on of course." Hera shook her head. She wondered how Mya could be eighty-seven and have the mind of a ten year old. "But aren't you excited?"

"No."

"I thought you loved your job! You get to work so closely with the royal family at such a young age. It's an honor to hold."

Hera shrugged. "I just don't want to get caught up in the drama of it all. I'm hoping nothing wrong happened between the three of them. They all need each other."

"It will be _fine _Hera. Come on, don't be late!"

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The Queen paced the marble floor, her skirt rushing against her ankles. "It's best not to worry," she assured herself quietly. She didn't know what had really happened. Maybe Ben and Kevin had to answer to a call from the Plumbers and Gwen wanted to stay with Verdona. "Yes...that's all there is to it."

"Your Majesty."

She turned to see Gwen standing behind her, wearing another dress that a maid had given her. Her skin seemed a bit pale, her eyes blank. Maybe she was sick?

"Gwen," she breathed in relief. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm quite alright your Majesty. I'm sorry about my sudden advancements from before. I did not mean to act so rudely to royalty such as yourself." She smiled softly and curtseyed. "I hope you forgive me."

"That's just fine Gwen," the Queen nodded. She was just thankful Gwen was herself. "It was not rude at all. It was very strange, yes, but humans are different to me."

"I'm only partially human," she laughed, "but I suppose you don't understand. What I did _was _rude."

"Then I graciously accept your apology." She stepped forward, touching Gwen's cheek. She jumped at the action and the Queen pursed her lips. Her skin was very warm, despite the paleness of her flesh. "Are you sure that you are not ill?"

"I'm very sure your Majesty."

"Then what happened with Ben and Kevin? They left without saying a word-"

Gwen's eyes flashed, making her stop. Gwen's lips tightly pressed together and she turned away. "They felt like leaving." Her tone was cool, yet there was something...wrong. Very wrong. "They're better off on Earth than on Anodine."

"What-"

"You are kind your Majesty." Gwen's fists clenched and her shoulders shook. "This is a wonderful palace. They were foolish to leave."

"Did you...have an argument?"

A growl built inside of Gwen, making the Queen freeze in shock. "What happens between the three of us is none of your concern your Majesty. You focus on your people, I focus on mind. A good, humble Queen cares about her people. An excellent Queen cares about people's well being." Then she muttered something under her breath, and in a flash, she was gone."

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Verdona picked at her short red hair, pouting. "Mm. Seems like I'm getting split ends." She snapped her fingers and the tips of her hair began to glow. The frayed strands smoothed completely and she smiled. "Thank goodness for mana." She brushed her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes. _How are you holding up?_

Max made an internal husky chuckle. _I'm just fine. How are you doing? Enjoying the five star treatment?_

_Of course. _She was thankful for being able to communicate with Max through her thoughts. Now adays, that was the only way she could communicate with him while she remained home. Traveling back and forth to Anodine took a long time and drained her mana. She was able to be careful. _What are you doing?_

_Making some lunch with some old friends. Magister Hulka is here. He used to be my teacher at Plumbers Academy. It's been some time._

_And when you say "some time", you mean decades, right? _

She could imagine him rolling his eyes. _Humans aren't gifted with eternal youth you know._

_No. Not eternal youth. We just live longer than you humans. _It was an unfortunate truth, but it was life. She could be outliving her lover by one hundred years.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," she called. Gwen opened the door. Verdona got up to hug her, but stopped in her tracks. Gwen didn't look alright. Her skin was pale, her eyes were tinted pink and when Verdona read her aura...Gwen was upset. Ill. "Oh, honey, are you alright?"

"I'm just fine Grandma." Her voice sounded hoarse. "I just wanted to learn a few more spells." She coughed into her hand. "Ugh..." She sniffed, rubbing her nose. "Alright. I'm _not _okay. I feel like I've been run over by three trucks. And a bulldozer." She coughed again, a fit that racked through her body violently. "I think I need help."

"What about Ben or Kevin? Did you tell them anything?"

"They left Grandma." Gwen looked into her hands and moaned. "What's going on?"

Verdona took her hands and gasped. A thick red substance coated her pale hands. "Oh Goddess..."

* * *

A/N: Drama is lovely :D REVIEW!


	22. Chapter 21

Imperfection

Chapter 21

As soon as the Rustbucket 3 landed, the eerie silence between Ben and Kevin had broken. Ben jumped at the sound of Kevin's gravely voice. "You have everything, right?"

Ben tried for a smile. "That would have been nice of you to mention before we left you know."

Kevin grunted and got up. "Well, if you did forget anything, you can fly back to get it yourself. I'm not going back there." Ben watched him leave then he slumped in his seat. His cell phone rang, finally connected to the Earth's Wi-Fi. It rang with mixed calls and text messages, but he just let it be.

What the hell had happened? Maybe what had happened between Gwen and Kevin just made their relationship worsen. Ben hadn't known a lot about their relationship, because he never really wanted to get involved. What if it all had secretly been falling apart and he could have fixed everything if he had known the warning signs? Should he try to fix things now?

Not when Kevin was like…_this._

Ben ripped the seatbelt off of him when he heard Kevin's car engine rumble. He could at least ask what really happened. Talk it out. Learn how it all began, how it ended up like this.

But it was too late. Kevin had left the ship and the car raced down the desert road. Ben pursed his lips and pulled out his Plumber's badge. "Locate Kevin Levin, code KEL-113."

_Cannot locate code KEL-113._

"Locate Kevin Levin, code KEL-113."

_Cannot locate code KEL-113._

"Dammit." He was wrong. The relationship hadn't worsened.

It had only ended.

XXxXxXxXxXx

_Two days earlier on Anodine_

Athena sobbed, clutching onto Micel. "Oh did you hear Micel? Did you hear what has occurred?"

"What happened?" Micel's eyes moved to Gwen's guarded door. Two men stood at the door and waved him over. Athena removed herself so he could walk over. "What is going on?"

"Miss Gwendolyn's grandmother Verdona, had called for us," one guard spoke. The other nodded in confirmation.

"Gwen has been pale and has been vomiting small amounts of blood. A doctor will come to see what the matter with her is."

"What kind of doctor are we talking about here?" He didn't know that there were doctors on Anodine. Anodites were rarely ill, unless they were about to die. Humans were more acceptable to illnesses since their immune systems were defenseless, but was there such a doctor for such a patient as Gwen? A human-Anodite breed was no common patient.

"A doctor from Galvan will be here as soon as he can. He is busy and will be able to get here whenever he is available."

"Unacceptable."

The gossiping women had scurried away when Apollo glared at them. Micel fought a smile. Ah. This was no illness, he finally realized. It was obvious now that the potion was finally working. The human was being rejected and she would be shedding her skin, to become the Anodite she was supposed to be.

"Sir?" the guard said politely.

Apollo shook his head. "Galvan is light years away. It's impossible for them to come in a day."

"But the doctor said he would be here-"

"And you trust him?"

"Well, sir, I do not know how long the young lady can handle herself."

"There are remedies," Apollo sniffed. "She will be just fine. We can have an experience alchemist fix a remedy to help her feel better. Right now, let's just get some cooks to make her some human food, like chicken noodle soup with large amounts of chicken broth. Let's keep her hydrated and well fed." Apollo nodded to them and smiled at Micel. Micel smiled in return and watched him leave.

Athena sniffed. "Goddess, I hope she feels better." She focused her wide eyes on Micel. "And did you also hear? Ben and Kevin left."

"I know." _Coward. _He had a strong urge to laugh, but fought against it. Kevin had fallen for it. The side effects of that potion had worked perfectly. It scared Ben and Kevin off, and Gwen was completely his to take. Instead, he kept his face calm. "Are you aware of why they left?"

"No idea," she sighed. "Rumors have been spreading that Ben and Kevin had to leave for various reasons. One, that they received an emergancy call from the Plumbers, but Gwen was too sick to go. Two, they went to get some human help for her and another was that Gwen wanted to stay on Anodine."

"But why would they leave her? Why wouldn't they stay."

Her eyes narrowed. "That also has rumors of their own." She crossed her arms. "I really wished that these people would mind their own business. I swear, if I hear _one _more rumor about Ms. Gwendolyn's condition, I'll-"

"Do nothing," he cut in. "It's best to keep your chin up Athena. Don't do anything rash."

"Yes Micel." She sighed again and turned to head back to her room. "I'll pray for her," she said, looking over her shoulder. "You should too."

"Of course I will."

He walked past the guards and made his way to his room. Maybe it would be best to pray. His poor Gwendolyn would be enduring physical pain after all.

* * *

A/N: Review please :D Drama is amazing, is it not? Thank you for all your favorites!

(RIP STEVE JOBS)


	23. Chapter 22

Imperfection

~Chapter 22~

Each retch made her want to die. Every painful shudder, every spine rattling cough made her wish she never existed. Her throat burned with bile and blood, and every inch of her skin itched. She moaned and whimpered in pain.

_Mom...Dad..._Her parents must have been so worried. She hadn't even considered her selfish motives. They would be worried if she never returned. They probably thought she wanted to stay on Anodine. She wanted to tell them that it wasn't so. She felt so tired...her body pulsed...pain. So much pain.

The thoughts in her mind were jumbled. Some were thoughts of pain, some were of memories. Her mother showing her the spring formal dress Gwen would wear to the dance.

_"It looks like a wedding dress, I know," her mother sighed. Gwen admired the floorlength, strapless white dress. "But your father crossed the line at knee length dresses. This was the decent one I found. And it's strapless, so you show some skin." _

Then there was the time her brother graduated from college.

_She hugged him tightly, her eyes burning with tears. "Gwen, I know we haven't seen each other in awhile," he chuckled, rubbing her head. "But I really am going to miss you. Look how much you've grown. I can't believe you'll be graduating school soon."_

When her father accepted Kevin. But it wasn't because he said yes.

_"Honey, whenever you're happy, I'm happy." He looked in his lap. "I guess you could call it brown-nosing but...I just want you to be content here, on Earth. You're my little girl. I want you to stay with me. Even when you're off to college, get married, live in a house in some place in Europe...I just want to know that you're close to me."_

Her eyes burned with tears. It was the last thing she needed to do, but she couldn't control the sobs that took over her. She covered her mouth and with a body shaking rattle, more blood spilled into her hands. Her throat was scorchingly dehydrated, her lips parched and dry.

_Ben. _Why didn't he stay? But maybe it was better like this. She didn't want him to see her like this. If she looked as bad as she felt...he was just better off on Earth.

_Julie. _Poor Julie. Like she didn't have enough to worry about. Tennis championships. Applying for college. Being in the spotlight.

_Oh, Kevin._ All the memories crashed on her like a painful weight. Their first kiss, their first date...then she remembered her attack on Kevin a few days before. What happened to her at that time? Had she gone mad? She was usually never like that...maybe with what happened with Micel frightened her and-

Micel. She froze. The trembles stopped. She began to remember.

_The looks he gave me. What he said to me, then Clarise giving me that drink...I acted like such a fool. _"Oh my God." The words scratched at her throat.

Micel.

Why? Why would he do this to her? Why was she being treated like this? What did she ever do to ever deserve this torture? Was it because she rejected him?

She didn't know. And she certainly didn't have the energy to ask.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"This whole time...it had been you Apollo."

Apollo chuckled, trickling the last drops of the Queen's drink on the floor. Smoke followed the drops. Excess poison escaped her lips, but still remained. "You shouldn't have married such a fool Demeter. You knew the consequences of marrying that man. Now look at you. Your mana drains from you as I speak."

"I should have never existed then..." she trailed off with a cough. She slid onto the floor, her body gone limp from the drink. "I'm sorry I caused you such trouble," she rasped.

"No need to apologize. I've gotten what I wanted." He grabbed her hand and curled her fingers around the goblet. "Long live the Queen."

* * *

A/N: Ah. Drama. Don't we all have it? REVIEW :D


	24. Chapter 23

Imperfection

Chapter 23

To feel human. Micel felt the artifical human skin of his body. It was soft. Too soft, too mushy. Fragile, easily breakable. He felt the pumping heart, blood rushing through his veins. His stomach grumbled with annoying human hunger. This body starved for a delicacy. His hair on his head felt heavy and unnecessary.

"Prince Micel?" one of the guards gasped. "Is that-"

"Hush," Micel whispered. "It is me." He pointed to the door. "Keep quiet. I'm going to talk for Ms. Gwendolyn for a while, if that doesn't trouble you. I would like for you to keep anyone else out. No one needs to see her right now. She's transforming and anyone else interuppting her would stress her. If someone comes to the door, saying they're going to die if they don't come in: Don't. Let. Them. Inside. Understood?"

"Yes your highness," the other guard nodded. He opened the door and Micel walked inside. It was a rather disturbing sight. He looked at her graying, peeling human skin. The usual warmth and softness of her skin was gone. The vibrant scarlet of her hair had dulled. She quivered and whimpered in pain as she tried to see who had entered the room. She was absolutely pitiful.

And perfectly gorgeous.

He ran a finger along her slightly black shoulder. She mewled in pain, unable to push him away since she was in so much pain. She whispered a name rather hoarsely, then began to cough violently, her body racking at each tremor.

"What was that?" he whispered softly. She glared up at him. Despite the discoloration of her skin, her emerald eyes still remained. her eyes remained clear and the emerald color that every woman and man craved. "I...hate..." She shook again, crimson droplets escaping her lips.

"Me? I already know that, but this is only for your benefit." Her glowering meant more than words. "It may not seem like it now, but I'm doing you a favor."

"K...Ke..."

"Shhh. Hush darling. That boy can't come in here. He won't come back, so don't waste your precious energy on speaking." He touched the thinning lips, touching the crimson substance that had stained them. It felt icy cold. He wiped it off on the mattress and got up. He walked out of the room and nodded to the guard.

"Keep a close eyes on her," He said, waving his hand. "I know she isn't going anywhere, but if she seems to have some sign of a change, report it to me right away. Understood?"

He nodded. "Understood sir."

"Very well." He left the hall and walked through the crowd of crying palace workers. They were mourning the death of their beloved Queen.

xXxXxXxxXxXxXxXx

Ben mumbled under his breath as he read Scarlet Letter. It was a useless attempt to study two weeks worth of missed homework and tests. He couldn't catch up with anything now. He tossed the book to the side and sighed heavily, sliding into his bed sheets. He heard his mother talking to Aunt Lily on the phone, calmly reassuring her that Gwen was probably just spending some extra time with her grandmother. It wasn't the case, but Ben had only nodded his head to confirm false suspicions.

Gwen wanted to stay on Anodine. He couldn't stop her. Kevin couldn't stop her.

_Kevin. _His throat dried. He hadn't received a single call from Kevin ever since Ben had been home. Julie had tried calling him too, but all other efforts were useless. His mother had even called Ben to ask if they were back. Ben couldn't say anything and she hung up from realization. Nothing hurt more than her reaction.

He never thought that it would end like this. He never thought it would ever end. But some how, it did. And he couldn't do anything else about it.

The Ultimatrix buzzed as the hologram system kicked in. He straightened himself, combing back his hair with his fingers. A familiar figure's hologram appeared, full length, at the foot of his bed. "Magister Grzmot," he breathed in surprise. "Nice to see you again."

Grzmont cleared his throat. "Very nice to see you again too, Mr. Tennyson. So how are you holding up?"

"I've been better. Any news on Gwen?"

Grzmont froze at the mention of her name, seeming disturbed. Ben prepared for the worst. _Gwen's dead. She moved in with her cousin Sunny and is married to some creepy blue guy. She's married, period. _"Ms. Gwendolyn Tennyson is terribly ill, I'm afraid. She's being protected by the royal guards and remains in her guest room. All the plumbers are trying to get inside, but everything is so...messed up with..." He trailed off, biting his lip.

"What happened Grzmont?" Ben begged. "What's going on?" Gwen was ill? She never seemed ill...was that why she didn't want Kevin to see her anymore? She didn't want to be a burden...she was usually like that.

"The Queen...she died from a breakdown." Ben froze to his bed. "Prince Micel will be crowned as King tomorrow, to ease confusion between other royals. I think it would be best if you could come back, try to talk to Prince-er, King, Micel, to ease tensions and visit your...sister?"

"Cousin." Too much to handle. Definantly too much to handle. But he was Ben Tennyson. His cousin was ill, and a royal family was in tangles. He could manage to handle this, right?

But he was going to need some help.

"Thank you Majester. I'll try to make it as soon as possible." Grzmont nodded and the hologram faded. Ben grabbed his cell phone, and prayed, for once, that he would answer. When the answer machine was on, he sighed. "Kevin. Listen. The Queen that was treating us? She died, ok? From a breakdown. I need your help. It would be really great if you could come with me. And Kevin? Gwen's ill. Really ill. Like, she has royal guards protecting her. And from what I've heard? Micel's going to be King. So please if you could just-"

_"Hello?" _

_Oh thank God. _"Kevin," he breathed. A weight lifted off his shoulders. "I'm going to need the Rustbucket."

_"No problem." A heavy pause. "So Gwen's sick?"_

"Majester Grzmont hologramed me and said that she was."

_"Alright. So do you think Micel's behind this?"_

"A coincidence, maybe."

A dark chuckle. _"More than enough reason to go check it out."_

* * *

A/N: Whoever said that Ben and Kevin weren't getting involved? They are now :D Here we gooooo! (REVIEW PLEASE!)


	25. Chapter 24

Imperfection

~Chapter 24~

People cried for their fallen Queen. Other royal Anodites visited the funeral to pay their respects. Micel learned to cry for his mother. Apollo remained his stoic self, Clarise kept to herself and Athena cried with honest, genuine sorrow. Guards still remained at Gwendolyn's door, and suspicions seemed to rise at the coincidences.

"Unbelivable," Hera hissed, slamming her fists on the table. Her mother fixed her with a stern look, and Hera sighed. "I can't believe this. Gwendolyn is ill and the Queen is dead from a nervous breakdown?" _Or at least that's what Micel "tearfully" explained at the ceremony yesterday._ "This is terrible mother! How could you say such things?"

Her mother tsked. "You've heard the rumors, I'm sure. Gwendolyn seemed interested with the Queen. Always nice. Too nice."

"But that is her genuine character mother! She is terribly ill-"

"A cover up!" her mother spat.

"As _if _she would try something like that. Do you really think the royal family would let her get away with murder? Besides, I've seen the guards at her door mother. I've heard her moans of pain. The raspy cries for her family, her loved ones!"

"There is no need for details," she snapped. "I won't tolerate such behavior." She stood up and crossed her arms. "I don't know why you detest Prince Micel. Did you see him at the funeral? He was so upset!"

"He's unfit to be King! How often does a male become ruler of a kingdom? Are you proud to have a man rule our place?"

"Your insult my beliefs Hera," she hissed, stabbing a finger in Hera's chest. "But you live in this household, and should treat me with furthur respect. Understood?"

"Completely," she bit back. Her mother glared at her and turned away and Hera's father entered, looking sheepish.

"I missed everything, didn't I?"

"You missed just enough."

Her father pulled her in for a hug. "Micel becomes King today."

"Yes."

"And you dislike the very idea of him becoming King."

"yes."

"Because he's done something wrong."

"Yes."

"Hmm..." He pulled away, a blank expression on his face. "The disturbance has merely begun."

"Yes. I know father." As first act of King, he would fire her, lock her up for heresy.

Her body froze, her father waiting patiently as she had her vision of another visitor. An annoying habit, now that she wasn't royal messanger.

_Three humans male, white skinned, North American. One, human Anodite hybrid, , brown hair, green eyes. One, human Osmosian hybrid, dark hair, dark eyes. One, elderly, pure human breed, gray hair, dark eyes. Human Anodite hybrid possesses a device. Power radiates through him-_

"Ben," she gasped out. Her and her father exchanged slow grins of relief.

He was coming back.

xXxXxxXxxXxx

So it had been Micel.

The pain was gone now. Gwen was only numb. She couldn't feel anything, couldn't touch, taste or smell. She could only gaze around the room and think.

She wanted to kill him. She wanted to feel his life in her hands. She desired the taste of revenge. How would he like the pain then?

She turned to look at herself in the mirror. Tears appeared on bloodshot eyes, her hair was a tangled mess and her body...She saw her body shudder. Her long red hair was gray and shriveled and had shed on the pillow case. Her skin was peeling and gray, almost black. The only color remaining were her bloodshot green eyes and her blood stained dress.

Any past desires of wanting to have Ben and Kevin back were far gone. She didn't want them to see her like this. Nobody deserved to bear the sight of this except for Micel.

She avoided the mirror once more and attempted to get out of bed. She pulled herself up, but couldn't feel the tug of her body. She looked down and saw that she sat straight up. She threw her legs over the bed, kicking away the sheets. She tip-toed to the door and attempted to open the door.

No such luck.

"Miss Tennyson?" a man spoke behind the door, shock obvious in his voice.

"Yes. Could you help?" her voice sounded strange. It seemed deeper, rasper, as it reverberated in the room. "My door seems to be locked."

Another man spoke, a bit more nervously this time. "We don't have the key, I'm afraid to say. But if someone passes, we can tell them to retrive a Plumber so you can call your family, tell them you're alright."

_I don't feel alright. _"Why? Why am I locked in here?"

"For security miss," the other man spoke, a bit more seriously than the man before. "We are royal guards."

Royal guards. Prince Micel. _Huh. Why do the two seem to click together? Oh wait_, she thought to herself sarcastically. "But I can come out soon right?"

"Of course miss."

She looked around. No windows to escape from. _Dammit. _She tsked and sat down on the bed, crossing her arms. She picked at the gray peeling skin, revealing a bone white surface beneath. She couldn't feel the shiver that past through her.

* * *

A/N: I HAVE A HALLOWEEN BABY BRO :D Little Ryan William. So i'm sixteen and have two brothers :D Nicholas Paul (2) and Ryan William (NEWBORN:D). This made my week worth while :3

Review?


	26. Chapter 25

Imperfection

Chapter 25~

"Thank you Grandpa Max."

Max smiled gently, patting Ben's shoulder. "It's no problem. As soon as you called me and said you thought that Gwen was probably in trouble, I was already getting Plumber gear ready." He glanced at Kevin who was at the controls with a concentrated look on his face. Max cleared his throat. "So do you think you guys can explain what's going on?"

"Short story short?" Ben started with a short, unamused laugh. "We went to Anodine, near where Verdona lives. The palace was two hours away so we stayed there with the royal family. Prince Micel had his eye on Gwen, and she seemed like she wished to stay longer."

The furrow between Max's eyebrows grew deeper. "So you think she's in trouble now?" The question seemed more directed to Kecin.

"It's not just Kevin that has suspicions Grandpa," Ben whispered softly. He turned in his seat to face him and whisper in his ear. "Gwen had seemed weird. On guard. Then while Kevin was taking a shower, I had heard someone talking in Gwen's room, and a door slam. Then Kevin came to me, saying that we needed to leave. We landed, I tried to communicate with people on Anodine. One of the Magisters reached me, said that the Queen had died and Gwen was ill, being guarded by the royal guard. So yeah. I think that she's in trouble Grandpa."

Grandpa nodded and sat down. "So you saw Verdona?"

"Yeah." Ben gulped. When was the last time Max and Verdona saw each other? It probably had been the longest time...it probably wasn't the best to discuss her. "We saw her for a day, saw her village. The people are really nice."

"Is it beautiful on Anodine?"

"Too beautiful. Everyone glows. Literally."

Max chuckled. "Sounds how I imagined." He laid back in seat and closed his eyes.

"Good idea. We've got five more hours until we get out of the Milky Way."

"Mm."

Kevin looked back at Max. "Thank you for coming with us. I know it's a bit delayed, but-"

"You've been worried Kevin. It's no problem."

They sat in silence until Max began to snore. Ben pursed his lips, trying to close his eyes and fall asleep. "Hey Kev-"

"Go ahead Ben. I'll pilot the ship and I'll wake you up if I need anything."

Ben smiled and nodded. He closed his eyes and tried to relax against the leather seat.

_Finally. It's about time you got up._

His eyes flew open. He looked around and tried closing his eyes. _Um...Grandma?_

A chuckle. _Yes, it's me. _

_Uh...nice to hear from you. _

_I had to get you asleep. It seems like I'm getting a headache with all the activity here._

_What's going on?_

_Micel's crowning ceremony._

Ben gritted his teeth. _Well that didn't take too long. _

_I know. It's very frustrating for me too Ben. So you have Max? I can sense his prescence in your mind._

_Yeah, he's here. Wait. You can sense his what in my what?_

A heavy sigh. _You'd be surprised what Anodines are capable Ben. _A pause. _Anyway. This is going to be a disaster waiting to happen. And that's what I'm counting on._

_So you think something's up? _It sounded like Verdona was up to something. And it sounded promising.

_No amount of protection is granted to a person as much as she does. Granted, she is one of a kind, but even still. Someone wouldn't be that guarded unless the family is very interested in her well being. _

_Can you contact her then? _

_I would if I could Ben. Something is blocking the needed connection. Something grave is happening Benjamin. You can't communicate with a living being unless they are purposely blocking themselves...or not living at all._

His heart stopped. _Oh God. _

_Exactly. I'm going to talk to "Prince" Micel._

_How? _

_You people seem to forget the fact that I can manipulate mana. I'm superpowered?_

_Well go Grandma._

_Ben._

_Yes Grandma?_

_One more thing before everything turns ridiculous?_

_Sure._

A sigh. _I'm sorry that I didn't treat you like the grandson you are to me. Even though you show a weak trace of my Anodine skills...you are a hero. You're brave, strong. You're family, and I love you. You understand?_

He felt a smile. _I do. Thank you._

_xXxXxXxX_

Micel tapped his fingers against the marble gate, looking over the glow of his people. _His _people. A smile graced his features. All of this was his now. And just because his mother couldn't handle her internal pressures and died. Unfortunate, but this was his time now. And Gwen would be his as well.

xXxXxXxXxXx

Gwen opened her eyes, hearing a click of the door. She flung the blankets off, ready to escape and demand questions. Even though she was falling apart, quite literally. She couldn't feel her skin, but could only see the graying peels. She shuddered and gritted her teeth. She closed her eyes, concentrating. The mana still wouldn't come. She sighed. _Dammit. _

Apollo opened the door, guards at both shoulders and blocking Gwen's possible exit. Apollo smiled, even despite her gruesome condition. "Gwendolyn. Don't you look better?"

She snorted. "Thanks. So can I leave? I really want to call Ben and Kevin, tell them I'm okay. I want to go home."

"I'm afraid that can't happen." He tilted his head, reaching out a hand, as if he wanted to touch her. Then he shook his head, pulling his hand back. "Micel is King today and the Plumbers headquarters and communications are closed for today as well, because of the ceremony. All of the palaces and castles have turned in for the ceremony as well."

"K..._King_?" she spat out. "He's King? What happened to the Queen?"

"She died as her husband had."

Gwen froze. No. No. The tone between his words were menancing. She couldn't have gone that way. She loved her people more than her husband had. She would want to be there until she died naturally as her Goddess had intended. "What did you do?" she rasped.

"I just told you. She died as her husband had." The guards grabbed her arms. She couldn't feel their grip, but could feel the force as she struggled to get out of their grasps. Apollo held a vial the size of her thumb. She stared at it as she struggled, seeing it get closer to her lips. "He died from poisoning you know. He was murdered. The Queen had kept it secret because she knew that it was good for the people. It would cause panic. Torment. People would be pointing fingers."

"You _monster. Monster. How could you do such things._" The guards looked at them uncertainly. "And how could you two be loyal to your Goddess and God if you let your people die."

"They don't follow the written diety dear." He popped the cap open, tilting it toward her lips. She threw her leg up, but he held it down with his foot. She could only throw her weight around, but these men were stronger. He held her face. "Don't worry. This won't kill you. This will only speed your transformation."

"Transformation?" she screamed. She wanted the whole palace to hear her cries. He grabbed her jaw, closing her mouth.

"Take it. It's good for you." So nonchalant. Like a mother telling a child to eat her vegetables. She closed her eyes and attempted to scream as the liquid in the vial poured in. She couldn't breathe...everything was eventually fading...

But it was a warming feeling, really.

Escape...this was her escape. What transformation were they talking about? What...?

* * *

A/N: Muhaha? Haha xD I'm a terrible person...Thank you guys, so much, for all this support you've given me :,)


	27. Chapter 26

Imperfection

~Chapter 26~

"I promise as your new leader: I will follow my mother's footsteps. There will be no tyranny. There will be no tyranny. There will be absolute peace. I may be starting off young, however-" Micel cut off, sighing. "This sounds so elemantary." He tsked, opening his window to let the breeze in his room. He heard the chatter of his people, the calling of his name by thousands.

"Your Majesty?"

He turned, grinning widely. "Apollo." He held out his hand and Apollo took it firmly. Micel relaxed a little. "So you gave her the potion?"

"Yes."

"So...would you explain to me what it will do for her?"

"It will speed the transformation."

Micel chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't get it. How are you able to get your hands on all of these potions? Do you know some black market dealers that I don't know of?" Apollo just smirked, shook his head and turned away to look out of the window.

"You gave quite a speech at your mother's funeral."

The mellowness and amusement faded as quickly as it came. Micel slumped into his chair. He pried the gold chain from his head, teasing the engraved, brittle material between his fingers. It used to be his great-great grandmother's engraved with her name. Then it was passed down to his mother...now it was his. He clenched it in his fist. "It disgusts me still. How quickly she gave herself up like that."

Apollo turned to him, looking genuinely confused. "I thought you wanted her dead."

Micel shook his head, looking at him with confusion as well. "I merely stated she was unfit to be Queen. I never wanted her to die Uncle...She's my mother. She was my only parent. She was a mother and father. She treated me with a gentle hand, but would scold me with such a fatherly sternness. I never knew my father, so I only had her to support me." He looked away, closing his eyes. "Then I'm reading my book, enjoying my day, and I have a guard come to me, saying that my mother died the same way my father had? A _mental breakdown_?"

Apollo sighed heavily. "You still have me Micel. You have Clarise as a mother, and Athena as the sister you've never had." He patted Micel's shoulder. "Besides. I've been your fatherly figure too, have I not?"

"I suppose so."

"Then you have no reason to mourn your loss. Either way...as soon as Gwendolyn's transformation finishes and a maid fixes her some food to eat, I'll be able to sneak in a love potion-"

"How do you get these things?" At first Micel was fine with his Uncle's findings without explainations, but now it was unsettling. How _was _he getting these things? They were all illegal...would it be right to be doing this? And what would happen to Gwen after the transformation? People would say stories of her Anodite self, how powerful it was...

"It will be alright Micel. You have nothing to worry about."

"I would sure hope so."

Apollo chuckled and left the room, closing the door firmly behind him. Micel looked at the chain again, reading the embedded name of his great-great grandmother. It felt strange to wear something so powerful like this...would his great-great grandmother be proud of him? Would he be proud of him for causing such pain to an innocent young woman like Gwen?

It would be best for the palace. She would be a great leader.

A sudden scorching heat passed through it, startling him. Over the name were red hot letters being traced in an ancient language.

_TRAITOR. TYRANT. MURDERER. _

XxXxXxXxXxXx

"Are you sure of this Verdona?"

Verdona faced her people with a hard, sharp nod. "I was there, managed to cloak myself with a invisiblity spell. I heard everything that came from that little tyrant's mouth, along with his Uncle."

A little girl spoke amongst the adults, inexperienced, and uncertain. "But why would he be so horrible? Why is he hurting Ms. Tennyson?"

"It was for a certain transformation. Then afterwords, Apollo said something about a love spell. They're trying to bring Gwen on their side, obviously." Verdona's fists were clenched tightly as she crossed her arms. "I'll make _very _certain that this doesn't happen."

A man spoke roughly. "So why don't we go to them now?"

"It wouldn't be wise. This village and the palace conflicted because of opposing views _years ago_," one woman spoke calmly. "If we just have one small village, particulary this one, speak against Micel, would anyone else care to listen? If we plan to attack them-"

"That would make _us _the bad guys," Verdona nodded. "But I know we don't have to lay a finger on them. _Not _until Ben, Kevin and Max arrive." There was a collective gasp and quick murmur amongst them.

"Max Tennyson?" another woman spoke the loudest. "He's coming?"

"The very saint himself." If Verdona had a human heart, it would be beating against her ribcage. It was absolutely silly, acting like a female teenage dolt who was hopelessly in love. It was ridiculous in a situation, such as this, but how could she resist? "But along with Ben Tennyson and Kevin Levin, all shall be restored." The little girl from before clung to her mother for support. "Everything will be alright."

"How can you be so sure?"

Verdona smiled. "I just happen to be a very assured person."

xXxXxXxXxXx

Kevin gritted his teeth. His fists nearly snapped off the controls. "I'm so close to just going into that palace and murdering him as soon as we land."

Max sighed. "I know you aren't happy about this, but we have to be reasonable Kevin. We can't jump straight into this."

"Think of what Gwen would do," Ben added. Kevin relaxed at that. Gwen would be the one to say that it was best to think with the brain, not the fist.

"So you're sure that's what happened?" Kevin asked softly.

"Verdona just messaged me. Well...mentally anyway. She got me while I was asleep." Verdona kept her word, in some ways. She managed to reach Micel, but didn't get to talk to him. She did hear what he was planning on, and that was what mattered. "Apollo and Micel...the whole time they've been leading us away from her."

"You would think that they would do something less...illegal to reach her," Max pursed his lips, preventing himself from laughing. "But I shouldn't joke about the matter, but it's just confusing how stupid they really are. You can't hide anything from an Anodite, even if you are one."

"I don't know anything about all of that," Kevin grumbled. "Someone's got my girl. And that's all that matters right now."

"We'll rescue her Kevin."

"I know." Kevin smirked. "But I have dibs at the first punch though."

* * *

A/N: CLIFFHANGERS GALORE. MUHAHAHAHA. I love all of you :D I've almost reached 100 reviews...you guys have NO idea how happy that makes me!


	28. Chapter 27

Imperfection

~Chapter 27

"Apollo," Clarise hissed. "You can't be hiding these secrets any longer! The Plumbers might become suspicious about Gwen's illness lasting for so long."

Apollo glared at her, though taking steady precautions. Clarise's aura flared, burning the whole room with its energy. A woman's anger was more dangerous than a man's fist. "The potion I gave her a more... Anodite sight of mind. When they question her after her transformation, she'll say what will be needed. She wanted to stay here on Anodine, where she belongs."

She growled. "Where do you get these potions you speak of? These items are craved by humans, and you say anything relating to humans' interest is unreliable. And what do you do?" She stabbed a finger at him. "You poison this girl!"

"For Micel's benefit," he told her calmly.

She shook her head. "I wouldn't believe it. You hated the boy the very day he was born."

"I hated the man who created Micel," he disagreed.

"Because if not for him, your sister and you would remain in your small, but significant hometown city, where you would both hold equal power." She smirked. "I know your motives. As soon as Gwendolyn and Micel escape for a honeymoon, you take the reigns, where _you _are King. Maybe not officially, but you are next in line for the throne."

Apollo slowly smiled. Usually his wife was naive, stupid and quirky. Now she was involved, she had grown intellegent. It would scare him, if not for the fact he couldn't see her as a possible threat. "Your assumptions amuse me Clarise. You have been reading those scandulous mystery novels again, haven't you?"

"I would argue futhur," she muttered. "But doing so would be wasting my precious time." She turned to leave, then looked over her shoulder. "The Goddess watches you, knowing the true Apollo. I know I repeat humans when I say this but..." She smiled. "What goes around comes around."

xXxXxXxxx

Two days into the ride to Anodine, no one had slept except for Ben and Max. Ben had been communicating with Verdona as he napped. She said she would be more than happy to transport them to Anodine, but there would be two conflicts: one, their arrival would be too quick, and two, it would sap her energy for a good while.

"Kevin," Ben said for the umpteenth time. "Go to _sleep _already."

"I'm controlling the Rustbucket."

"You can put it on auto-pilot."

"What if it doesn't work?"

"Then _I _can control it."

Kevin snorted. "Ben. The last time you handled it, you nearly crashed us in the middle of Death Valley."

"You were hovering over me, telling me what to do, and I only had it for ten minutes! Besides, like you're the one to talk. It seems like everytime we go on a mission, you've ruined it in some way."

A scoff. "OK. It wasn't _me_. It would usually be some dick-"

"We're changing the subject here," Ben cut in quickly. "Kevin, you seriously need sleep. Grandpa is laying down in the cargo space, and you should do the same. Plus if you get plenty of sleep, your punches will be harder."

Kevin shook his head, still stubborn. "It's not worth it. Besides, I hadn't slept for days anyway."

Ben pursed his lips. He cautiously sat in the passenger seat. "Was it bad? Coming back home."

Kevin smiled softly. "I didn't go back to Bellwood."

"Where did you go then?"

"When we first met."

"New...New York?" He couldn't imagine that. Him being alone, in a big city. Sure, he was older, tougher and more experienced...but why?

"We pretty much blew up the arcade," Kevin chuckled. "Gwen was close to pulling me out of that monster, but..._smelling _her. With her being so close to me, I just lost it." He sighed a little brokenly. "I don't know why I chose that place. It just reminded me of her, I guess. She fought for me. But now-"

"We don't know what made her change that way. All I know is that Micel is up to something. She's going to be okay Kevin." He could only hope.

"We've got twelve hours until we land," Kevin said. "Then it's game on, get Gwen the hell out of there and back home. Then I can sleep well at night."

xXxXxxxxx

_He left you. He left you to die. You suffered. He dragged Ben away from you. Would Micel do this to you? No. He would take you by the hand, tell you he would never leave you. But who needs a sniveling human like him? You're about to become the real you...the real you you deserve to be. No more constricting flesh, no heart to depend on. You will have no weaknesses. No one will stand in your way. _

_Your transformation is almost done dear. _

xXxxxXxXxX

Grzmont stood in front of the bored looking Magisters, nervously waiting for his permission to speak.

"So what is your business here?" the woman spoke first. "What was so urgent that you called us here on a day off?"

"And make it fast," another man muttered in disgust. He scratched his frilly ear. "I have a date with my girl tonight."

Grzmont fought to punch the man in the gills. This was the loyal Plumbers? The protecters of the universe, the universal peace keepers? Where was the respect? "I had a discussion with a young woman named Verdona today."

"Congrats buddy," the same man spat. "What the hell do you want from us? A party?"

"She's Ben and Gwen's grandmother. Max Tennyson's wife. Does _this_ mean anything to you?" There was a hint of interest then, rudeness wiped clean off the man's face. There was still silence. "The Queen died, as we know, but there seems to be a conspiracy behind her death. Gwen Tennyson is ill, as King Micel claims. He won't let anyone inside her room. As far as I know, she isn't getting the proper treatment she rightfully deserves. This violates Law 777CG42: any time a person is 'ill' they need proper care, espicially if person in question is an alien, or from a different area, planet, galaxy etc."

"So what do we do?" another man spoke up.

"We need a warrant of course," Grzmont said. "And we can't just barge into the castle and demand an arrest. We have to get the warrant and send someone to bring Gwen to proper facilites."

"Why can't we just barge in? If this violates-"

"Ben Tennyson is on his way from home to come see her," Grzmont smiled. This brought shock to them, causing them to exchange unknowing glances. "Now, it takes two hours to complete a warrant, so let's get a move on, shall we?"

* * *

A/N: Almost finished :D Now as you guys wait for this, read this wonderful thing called **Intricate Tapestry. **DO IT.


	29. Chapter 28

Imperfection

~Chapter 28~

The landing couldn't be anymore stressful. With Kevin muttering constant death threats under his breath, the tone darker than absolutely necessary, Ben felt more edgy. He had dealt with wars and universal genocides. Plenty of dictators have threatened existence more than enough times. Dealing with a corrupt royal family should be a breeze.

But this was his _cousin_. His family. Aunt Natalie and Uncle Frank had been tirelessly calling him, asking if he knew what happened to their daughter, and Ben would have to lie everytime. If Micel and Apollo were causing her major pain, they obviously didn't know who they were dealing with.

"We're here," Kevin announced. Ben looked down at the base, already seeing a small group of people of different breeds. The plane landed smoothly on the marble. Max sighed, relaxing his tense muscles from the atmospheric change. "So we got everything?"

"Ultimatrix is fully charged," Ben nodded.

Max nodded.

"Ok. Let's go then." Kevin quickly led them out of the ship and they greeted the Plumbers waiting for them.

"Grzmont," Ben smiled.

Grzmont smiled. "Good to see you again Ben, Kevin." He bowed respectfully. "And an honor to meet you Magister Tennyson."

"Thank you," Max smiled when the other Plumbers nodded respectfully as well. "Thank you everyone. But there's no need for formality. Just call me Max."

"No problem," another Plumber cut in. "Let's get to work then, shall we?" She held up a sheet of paper. "We have a warrant signed. All we have to do is go to the palace and talk to Micel and bring Gwendolyn back home."

"Hopefully it's as simple as it sounds," Max sighed. "Let's head on over shall we?"

xXxXxXxXxXx

Hera watched the citizens walk down the streets, her windows wide open so her room could feel some sort of breeze. For the past few weeks, not having a job was irritating. She was stuck in her house with an offenseful mother, annoying siblings and a busy father. She would still have pointless visions of visitors to Anodine.

However, things would get interesting soon. Fairly soon. Ben Tennyson would be back on Anodine, along with Kevin, and surprisingly, Max Tennyson. If _Max _Tennyson was tagging along, then she wasn't the only one having suspicions. Micel was up to something.

"Hera!"

She perked up at the familiar voice. "Echo?" she shouted, looking around for her on the streets. The light pink Anodite below grinned.

"Come out! I want to walk with you!" Hera took in the exotic printed sash that hung on Echo's waist. Hera grinned as well, and raced out of the house to give her friend a hug.

"You're back from your dance competition already?"

"Yup." She frowned. "I heard about the Queen. Micel's King now?"

"Yeah."

"And you're not happy about that are you?" Echo sighed. "But that's beyond the point. Come on now, let's walk." This is what Hera needed. A good friend to talk to, vent about her problems and feel relaxed. Echo had won fifth place out of fifty other female competitors. Hera congradulated her and felt the need to tell her about her vision about the future visitors. She held it in. Echo would have a lovely surprise.

_Speak of the Devil, and it shall appear._

A loud shout came from behind, causing people to turn, including Hera and Echo. She couldn't help but smile at the shock on Echo's face.

Plumbers walked with Ben, Kevin, and Max Tennyson. _The _Max Tennyson. Seeing him, in the flesh, was indescribable. People would hear stories about him, but seeing the radiating glow of his precense was enough to make someone of the highest rank feel worthless.

"Ben!" she called. "Ben!"

Ben looked around, searching for the voice. He caught her, smiled and waved. Echo gaped at her. "You...you _know _each other?"

"Sort of," she grinned. She raced forward, startling a few of the Plumbers. Ben whispered to them and one nodded, letting her pass. She hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you're here Ben. I was so worried when you guys left."

"We came here as son as we heard about the Queen," Ben whispered. Hera walked with them, feeling the eyes of Echo and the others. "That, and we've had our suspicions about Micel for some time. The Queen dying just-"

"Worsened them."

"Yeah."

Kevin looked at her strangly. Hera smiled. "I'm Hera," she explained. "I was the Queen's messenger. I have visions of future visitors."

"So you knew we were coming," Kevin said. "Huh." He cleared his throat. "So you know Ben?"

"I sensed Micel had motives for Gwen. I accidentally came across Micel and Apollo, talking about her staying on Anodine. I tried to warn Ben, but Micel came in on time to interupt me. Then the 'royal family' gave workers a free week off. Then you guys left and I couldn't reach you guys. For the weeks I was there, I walked next to her guarded room, listening for her. She sounded like she was in pain." Anger rose, their eyes widening as she glowed brighter. "Then the Queen died and I was fired from my job. I couldn't even begin to tell you how upset I was, being locked out while Gwen was locked in her room."

She shook it off. "I shouldn't talk about it like this..."

"It's alright," Ben smiled, patting her shoulder. "You tried, and we're here to get Gwen back."

A Plumber grunted in surprise. "Wait. If you're a witness to Apollo and Micel's discussion, why didn't you report it?"

"If one lone girl runs to you, saying the Prince has some ridiculous scheme, would anyone believe her?" Hera asked. "I was going to tell Ben, but the way Micel looked at me...it terrified me." Guilt passed through her. Maybe if she _had _just went to the Plumbers it would have helped prevent a lot of pain and suffering.

"That's true," Kevin said. "Good call." Hera sighed in relief. At least she got the OK from _him _out of all people. She was about to thank him until she felt a surge rock through the ground. They all looked around in shock, people screaming at the sudden tremor.

"This feels a bit...omnious," a Plumber muttered sarcastically.

"Do you guys get earthquakes very often?" Ben asked.

"Very rarely in this area," another Plumber said. Townspeople were in a pani at the sudden situation. "Ben, what are you doing?"

Ben was rolling up his sleeves, his hand hovering over the Ultimatrix. "That tremor came from over there. And whatever is going on over in the palace is definantly worth checking out." He slapped down on the device and a green glow surronded him. His transformation was a Necrofriggin. Hera smiled, excited at the sight of him. Finally something was being done. "I got my own warrant," he said. "You guys go ahead and enter the palace your own way. I'm going to find Gwen."

"You're not going alone Tennyson," Kevin said, eyes narrowing.

"Not without me and Kevin," Max added.

"Alright," Ben groaned. "Hopefully you guys can run fast."

Hera touched his shoulder. "Be careful."

He nodded and flew away with Kevin and Max running in his direction. The Plumbers hesitantly followed them, murmuring amoungst themselves. Hera closed her eyes and prayed. _Please let Gwen be okay. Please._

xXxXxXxXxX

_Free!_

Gwen inhaled the scents in her room. The sweetness of the flowers and bath oil, the cleanliness of the room itself. She felt power radiating through her very being and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

Secretly she had been wanting this since she first discovered the very possibilites. With being on Anodite she wouldn't have to worry about the silly things on Earth. She could escape the expectations of everyone she knew.

She was a fool to have not taken this path sooner. The old her was too heartfelt. She cared about other people too often. Now she could be on Anodine, where she truly belonged. She could live a much more easier life, even give Sunny a piece of her mind after some training with Verdona. She didn't have to go back to Earth. She could stay on Anodine with Verdona, Micel-

"Micel." His name sounded so holy on her lips. She needed to thank him, for everything. Despite all of the pain she went through, she became this truly beautiful creature. She was free of imperfection.

_What about Ben? Friends? Kevin?_

_All weaknesses. Too much._

"Miss?" She jumped a little. "Are you alright?"

"I feel incredible." Her voice sounded so smooth. "Absolutely incredible. Bring Micel!" she commanded the guard. "Quickly!" She heard the two guards argue behind the door.

"Could we really trust that she transformed? Besides, Micel isn't even here. Apollo sent him to a meeting with other royals, remember?"

"So what do we do?"

"We call for Apollo."

"_You _can go to Apollo. No one is going to walk by a guardless door and keep walking. You talk to him."

"Fine. But you'll miss out on a generous reward."

"Whatever."

The other guard walked away, and there was a snort of distaste.

She frowned. _Micel isn't here? _"Where did Micel go?"

"Out of town miss. So...you transformed, I take it?"

"Yes," she smiled. "I feel wonderful. Better than I did as a human." She leaned towards the door. "When will Micel come back, do you think?"

"As soon as he gets the news about you, I'm sure. He will be delighted."

She sighed with relief. "That's great to hear." She looked around her room, taking in the sights. Everything was brighter and more vivid. She could see the shed human skin on the bed. She grimanced at the disgusting material and turned away.

_That life is gone now. I'm finally what I'm meant to be._

There was a rumble down the hallway. She paused, listening as the guard froze at the sudden noise. Then the guard cleared his throat. "W-What are you-" He cut off with a yell and there was silence.

"Mister?" she called out cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"Do you think that's really her?" a raspy voice whispered. "That can't be her. It...doesn't sound like her."

"It _has _to be. This is the same room."

_No. It can't be. Not now._

"_Fallum quarca daminigan_!" she shouted. The door ripped itself open, revealing who hid behind.

* * *

**A/N: **Midterms are killer :D But I got a 98 on my Accounting and Honors Chem so I'm happy~ 111 Reviews are amazing, but more are even better...


	30. Chapter 29

Imperfection

~Chapter 29~

Kevin, for the fifth time in his life, had come face-to-face with the Anodite Gwen. There was fear in her blank eyes. Then there was anger. Her aura went up in flames. She burned with power and looked at the frozen guard. "_You_did this?" she hissed, thrusting a finger at Big Chill's direction.

Ben had no clever quip this time. He changed back to his human form. "_Gwen_," he breathed. He reached out for her, but she backed away, eyes wide. "What…what happened to you?"

"I'm not _your _Gwen," she sneered. She pointed to the bed. "The Gwen you knew is there. I'm no longer weak, unlike you. This isn't an emotional flip of the switch. This is a _permanent _transformation."

Kevin could not move. He looked to see shed skin lying on the bed. _Permanent__…__not __your __Gwen__… _"Gwen…how did this happen? Who did this to you?"

She sighed dreamily. "All thanks to Micel, of course. He's brought me into a world of true possibilities. All this wasted time, believing in miracles that would never exist-and now I can see everything. Your auras are so dim," she spat. "_Weak_."

"This isn't you," he told her weakly. Gwen glared at him, hissing.

"It never was," Ben added softly, stepping forward. "You've always been the most intelligent, thoughtful and brave girl I've ever known. You've told me power and money can't truly make a man happy.

"And look at you!" Gwen shouted. "You always bathe in the satisfaction of fame and fortune. Then you say all the fame isn't worth it, then you go right back to your old ways, maybe two days minimum. All humans are the same. Repetitive with their mistakes-"

"I'm just like you," he yelled back. His stomach felt queasy. He couldn't lose her. What would her parents say? They would lose their little girl. "I'm part human, part Anodite. I can do the spells, master what you're capable of, if you could just teach me. And I know I make mistakes. Every one does. Even you do."

"Not anymore," she shook her head. "And who you are is a complete waste of time. You should have never come here."

"No."

Kevin's voice rung through the hallways. The lead in his stomach dissipated as his heart raced, fists clenching. "_No_. I did _not_waste my time worrying about you to come back and have some asshole get in my way." His craving to tear towards Micel's stuffy room was enticing. "Gwendolyn Elizabeth Tennyson. Listen to me.

"You are the reason I still exist. I still may be in Bellwood, doing God knows what. I might still get arrested for doing stupid shit, for all I know. I might still be craving energy, but you helped me realize it wasn't the only rush. To fight beside you and Ben, save the universe time and time again, make mistakes, feel life- _that _is the real rush. My criminal rap sheet is longer than anyone else I know, but it's buried now. Because of you.

"I fell in love with you, not because you're beautiful, intelligent and the other obvious, but because you helped me see life in a completely different way." The aura around her began to tame, but she still glared at him. Ben watched them cautiously, and turned to see Max frozen to the ground, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of his grand daughter. "You say you _love _making mistakes, because it makes you learn, whether you repeat it later or not. Breaking a leg by not watching your back, remembering a spell in the heat of battle, arguing in a relationship, getting a calculas problem wrong on your homework, you learn from all of it. You see to always look over your shoulder, you manage to successfully defeat your enemies, you learn to love that person's imperfections and you still manage an A in calculas.

"You helped me through my darkest times. I owe so much to you." He walked forward, and this time her shoulders softened. She didn't wince. The aura softened as well. "I know I've hurt you, physically and mentally. I've thrown you against walls when I was out of control and put you down when you couldn't find a spell to help me turn human. If you have to..."

Kevin couldn't find the right words. What was he trying to say?

"Kevin," Ben snapped. "What are you doing?"

"I love you Gwen. I hope you know that. If you want to...you...you can..."

Max stepped forward. "Don't do it Kevin. You don't know what she's capable of."

"Oh. How sweet. What a lovely, tender moment between the Tennyson family and the..._Levin_."

"_Apollo_," he growled. His hand hovered over his watch. "Don't even think about coming near Gwen."

"Tsk, tsk," Apollo chuckled. His guard held up his staff, setting himself in a fighting stance. "You shouldn't be so mad, considering the fact you are the ones who left us so early." He smiled at Max. "And my, my. What do I have the special honor of having a decorated Plumber in my halls?"

"_Your halls_?" Ben hissed. "You mean-"

"Micel is not here," Apollo dismissed him. "I sent him away for a meeting with other royals. He needs to understand what he's fully getting himself into." He looked up. "Gwen. How lovely you look. Anodite looks much better on you."

Gwen didn't look at Apollo. She remained in her room, staring at Kevin with utter disbelief. "Did you...mean it?"

"Of course I did," Kevin murmured. "Go on. Do your worst. Show much how much I put you through. Beat me shitless if you can. Beat me until I get knocked into a coma." He was so desperate. He had to reach her weaknesses. He had to pull her back to him. Even if that meant hurting himself in the process. "How many times have I betrayed you? Made you feel nothing more than a toy? I've kissed Charmcaster when you were just trying to help me-"

Apollo chuckled. "Come now Kevin. Do you know what you're asking?"

"Revenge," he whispered, still fixated. "Give me what you rightfully deserve."

"Kevin," Apollo sighed, a bit warning.

"I'm sorry, but this is private business," Ben smirked. "And your ass is getting in so much trouble. You know...if you actually had one."

"You are in violation of law Apollo," Magister Grzmont proclaimed, flashing his Plumber's badge. "You have kept a young woman under guard while she was ill, with no proper nutrition and care granted to her." The guard dropped his staff in shock, looking at his fellow frozen partner, the Plumbers, Max, Ben, Kevin, and Apollo. He ran off, cowardice taking the best of him.

"But the girl is healthy," Apollo smiled with friendly intention. "Look how she-quite literally-glows. If you'd ask how she's doing-"

"This is _now _Apollo," a girl spoke. She stood amoungst the Plumbers, crossing her arms. She smirked. "What you did to her was torture. I heard her crying in pain. No one gave her the proper care she deserved. Ask any of the palace chefs if they've made any human food for the past few weeks."

"The messengar girl," he said cooly. "I thought I banned you from these grounds."

"Because I'm a witness to a crime? Wipe out anyone who knew about Gwen? What a smart thing to do."

"Gwen!" Apollo shouted. His aura glowed more furiously. The Plumbers exchanged knowing glances. The man just confessed to committing a crime, maybe indirectly, but it certaintly showed. "Tell these lovely people they've got it all wrong!"

She frowned. "I don't know."

"_What?_"

She was quiet, staring at Kevin. She hesitantly rose a hand. "You never gave me what I truly wanted."

"I know." He sounded miserable, looking down. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"I never had the power I wanted. You never gave me everything I desired. Micel would give me everything I would desire."

He winced. "I know."

"He's ruler of a kingdom. I hear from Ben that he is King." She turned to Apollo for the first time. "Is this true?"

"Of course miss," Apollo smiled gently.

Gwen ignored him after that, and turned to Kevin. "If I stay, I can become Queen. I can bring history to this planet, unless I remain on Earth. Ben would rule. He would always rule." Ben frowned, his gaze averting to Max. Gwen noticed Max. "I thank you for providing me with such a wonderful grandmother. She's the reason why I'm here today."

Max smiled as best as he could for Gwen. "I'm thankful for that too honey." He stepped forward next to Kevin, taking Gwen's hand. This surprised everyone, including Apollo. He growled under his breath and Grzmont blocked his path. "I'm sorry I held you back from learning about her when you were younger. You could have learned so much more about your abilites if you came here sooner."

"I'm sorry that I'm such a blockhead of a cousin," Ben smiled weakly as well. Gwen frowned and her body slumped. Her aura was very thin now. She was so confused. She was running through so many thoughts in her head.

"I'm still imperfect," she whispered hoarsely. "I still feel weaknesses." She shook her head violently and Kevin held her. She didn't push him away, just stood there in his arms, whimpering.

"Everyone has weaknesses Gwen," Hera laughed softly. "All Anodites do." She walked towards her with cautious approach. "We definantly have better powers than humans do, but we all make mistakes." She sent Apollo a distasteful sneer. "Like Apollo for instance."

Apollo glared at her. "Servant to the Queen," he spat with disgust.

"You are blue. Fairly light," Ben noted. "So that means you don't have any powers at all. You're as powerless as a human." He smirked. "I love how hypocrites work."

Apollo lashed forward, but Grzmont caught his arm, chuckling. "You're in major trouble buddy."

"I did _nothing _wrong here!"

Verdona appeared in a flash of light, sighing heavily. "I can help clear this situation." The Plumbers' hands moved to their weapons at her sudden appearance, then relaxed. Max froze.

Gwen jumped. "Grandma!" She launched herself from Kevin's arms, running into Verdona's. "I'm so sorry...I never wanted it to be this way...if you could've just showed me."

Apollo was fighting from Grzmont's grip. "_Witch! What is trash doing in my palace?_"

Verdona smirked. "This is _not _your palace. Thanks to you by you killing the Queen, all of this is Micel's." Gwen's eyes widened. "You want me to show you dear?"

"_Anything she shows you is lies!_"

"You can't hide secrets on this planet Apollo," Verdona smiled sweetly. "Not anymore." She held out a glowing hand. "_Astendo Specialis!_"

In the air, a screen was projected, showing the Queen on the ground, holding onto a goblet. Her skin was dull as life drained from her. Apollo stood over her, smiling with satisfaction, as if he finally won. Grzmont glared at Apollo. "Ok. More than trouble. More like Court."

* * *

**A/N: TO THE PEOPLE WHO HATE MY STORY AND HAVE NO CRITIC TO GIVE AND DONT REVIEW MY STORY. Thank you for being smart enough. (sigh) I love people. Seriously, if you guys hate my story for being "boring" give me more information on how I can help this story. Please and thank you T.T**

**Oh. And "someone that hates your story"? I have 120 reviews now. Thanks :3**

**Review friendly people and critics :D**

**The ending is finally coming to a...well...end :D Hope you guys are liked this chapter. It's getting intense (to...well...me)**

**Merry Christmas!**


	31. Chapter 30

Imperfection

~Chapter 30~

A secret cannot be held for very long. In a universe filled with energy beings and spell casters, no one could truly live a classified life. If someone commits a crime or tells a lie, one spell could expose the dirty secret to everyone. If a power hungry energy being drugs a girl's drink to complete strip her of her identity and tries to cover it up by firing witnesses, it comes to no surprise when an experienced spell caster exposes him.

When these secrets become exposed to outsiders, there will be at least one person who wants to punish them with severity. To upset a very young, uncontrollable Anodite is a death wish.

"_You did this to me!" _Gwen shrieked, her aura brightening the room and blinding everyone in the halls. She tried to rip herself from Verdona's grip. Maids who innocently happened to walk by shrieked and ran away.

"It was for your own good Gwendolyn!" Apollo hissed, fighting against Grzmont's grasp. "You're filled with so much potential! You could have become Queen, become the strongest woman in existence! If your _friends _just had let you go-"

Ben gritted his teeth. "My cousin was happy where she was! You had _no_ right to do this to her! You _murdered _your sister, just so you could keep Gwen away from _us._"

Verdona yanked Gwen back when she snarled, tearing at the air furiously. "She has family who needs her the way she truly is."

Kevin felt his blood boil. He was beyond forgiveness. Gwen knew the truth. They _all _did. And now he didn't have to hold back. "She has me who wants her back the way she was. Or _is._" He cracked his knuckles.

"You're outnumbered Apollo," Max threatened. "Did you really think you could hide this from us?"

"-_I will rip you to shreds!_" Gwen cursed, screaming, the sounds carrying throughout the castle. "_Tear you to a million pieces! Molecule by molecule! There won't be a trace of you by the time I'm through with you, you monster!_"

Apollo stopped short in his struggle, eyes widening. As if he was finally facing reality, seeing what he had actually created, he stared Gwen with genuine fear and horror. "By Goddess. What have I done?"

"You should have asked that to yourself a long time ago," Grzmont muttered in disgust, yanking him back again.

Verdona struggled with holding Gwen back. "I don't know how long I can hold her!" she gasped. "She's gone mad!"

"Put a shield up!" Ben demanded. "_Now!_"

A Plumber gaped at him in disbelief. "_What_? You're going to stop her? Let her at 'em!"

"If she uses her powers, any significant trace of humanity-" Verdona gasped at a jab at her stomach, but still held on. "Will be gone for good! We need her to calm down!"

"Got any spells then?" Kevin asked. He fought the urge to tell Gwen to fight then. Verdona was right. If there was any bit of humanity that could bring her back, he-_they_- needed it.

"Here's one," Grzmont grunted sarcastically, pulling Apollo back even furthur. "_Exit_." He dragged Apollo even faster, who was still staring after Gwen, convulsing with fear and horror.

"_Don't take him away from me!_" Gwen wailed, flailing her legs and arms. "_He's _mine! _He's mine_!"

"OK, we need to calm her down before she kills _us _too," Hera suggested weakly, cowering behind a Plumber who's hand twitched towards his gun. "If we don't do something-"

Gwen's hair wrapped around Verdona before Hera could even come up with anything. With a cry, Verdona was thrown into a statue and Gwen charged towards Grzmont and Apollo. Ben immediatly adjusted the Ultimatrix and picked Spidermonkey, then changed into its Ultimate form. Not even bothering with the traditional cry, he blocked the space between Apollo and Gwen with a thick elastic web. Gwen became tangled and she roared with rage, kicking and becoming even more snarled in the material. Her anger was beginning to heat the thick material.

"Grandma!" he shouted. Max helped Verdona up and she was too transfixed on Max's appearance to notice Ben's urgency.

"Verdona," Max said instead, gripping her shoulders. "We _need_ a spell that can relax her. Do you think you can do that?"

She shook herself out of the romantic trance. "Later?" she asked softly.

Kevin snarled. "No! _Now_!"

Max ignored him and nodded. "Later." Confused and fearful, Kevin was about to protest, but Verdona smiled and turned to Gwen. She closed her eyes and whispered.

"_Deance._"

Gwen stopped short, gasping. She stopped struggling. "What...did...you..._do_?" she fought to say, her words slurring. She slumped and her aura dimmed. "I...can't...move."

"Latin and Greek can mix together and create spells with the right concentration and experience with magic." Verdona walked toward Gwen, and cradled her face. "To lower state or condition," she quickly explained. Then she tenderly rubbed her cheeks with her thumbs, cooing softly. "Sweetheart. Can you understand me?"

She glared at her. "_Crystal. Clear._"

"No. Can you understand me clearly, as in, do you feel any aggression? Do all your thoughts focus on me, or do you still think of what Apollo has done?"

"_Of course I think of what he's done to me! What he's done to the Queen, this palace...he needs to pay for what he's done!_"

Max stood next to Verdona, his face creased with worry. "Gwen, we need to face this problem correctly. The council in the Southern region have to discuss about Apollo, and Micel can be removed from his position as well. Then it needs to go through court and can be handled by jury."

"It takes even longer than that," Magister Polk added regretfully. "By jury's decision, Apollo can face life in prison or be executed. Or if the case is serious enough , they can vote to move Apollo to the Plumber's main court, but then the vote would have to be approved by the Southern council again." He sighed. "It could take a month for Apollo to be settled. God, who knows how long it could take for Micel."

Max sent him a look, letting Polk know the extra information was uncalled for. "But all of that aside," he continued gently, "Apollo will be taken care of honey. By taking matters into your own hands, it would make things worse for you. And we don't want that.

She couldn't move. She looked miserable, torn by her passions and morals. She had lost herself. No accidental transformations from too much anger during a fight, no spiritual release. Her skin was gone. Her hair, her eyes. Everything that had set her apart from other girls, everything was gone.

She could never be truly human, ever again.

"There _is _a way of restoring you," Verdona assured her.

"But it will be merely a cover," Gwen murmured pitifully.

"But you'll still be you." Verdona ripped the web off of her and let her fall into her arms, pulling her into a deep hug. "We're here for you Gwen. We all love you, and want to take care of you."

Kevin walked forward and joined Verdona and Max. He wasn't used to seeing her looking so defenseless. She had been stripped of her humanity (or most of it) and now she had been weakened beyond her control, all because of Micel and Apollo.

"I love you Gwen," he promised her. She shifted, sniffling in pain, and lifted her hand over Verdona's shoulder. He took it gently and gave it a soft squeeze. Ben joined as well. "And I always will, human or not. I know you're still Gwen. You're still strong, smart."

"But..."

"Verdona will help you," Ben said, promising as well. He wasn't sure of Verdona's spell as to how to bring Gwen back, but he was ready to bring Gwen back home. "You can have your skin back, and you can come back home, finish school and graduate with your friends." Then he pursed his lips. Gwen's school already had their final exams and graduation was in a week. Gwen had missed a month of her senior year. It would be nearly impossible to graduate on time. "So how fast can we finish this?"

"As soon as possible," Verdona nodded. She looked at the Plumbers. "Keep guard. And Hera?"

She perked up. "Yes?"

"You can watch." Verdona brought Gwen into her room, casting aside the dried, peeled skins off the bed. Kevin felt bile come up and he gulped, his throat burning. He could only let the council do their job and hope for the best.

xXxXxXxXx

As Verdona examined Gwen's spirit for a bit of humanity, Ben got a call from Grzmont. Apollo was being transported to the correction center. Micel would be taken for questioning and the Southern council was upset, but they were already discussing the situation. Security would be tight since the royal guards would be questioned as well.

Verdona sighed. "I can't find anything," she muttered in defeat, rubbing her temples. A collective gasp escaped from the observers. Hera hid her face in Ben's shoulder. "Her humanity is lost. The potion Apollo gave her did a good job of clearing her up." She shook her head, disgusted. "There's only one thing left to do."

Gwen whimpered, finally understanding. "I...can never be human. I'll just have a cover for the rest of my life."

Kevin gently touched her shoulder. "It'll be okay."

"I can create many forms." Verdona closed her eyes, and to prove her point, there sat an auburn haired beauty with green eyes. Then she spoke, her voice as identical to Gwen's. With a start, Kevin and Ben saw that this _was _Gwen's form. _Is it always that easy? _Ben thought. "See?" She patted Gwen's head. "There's a spell I can use that can blend me in with other species. I normally don't have to say the spell, but in your case...it's needed." Then she snapped her fingers and there sat Anodite Verdona again. "Ready?"

"Ready," Ben nodded.

"Ready."

"Ready."

Kevin held Gwen's hand. "Ready."

At Kevin's grasp, Gwen smiled gently, relaxing. "Ready as I'll ever be."

Verdona nodded, her hands hovering over Gwen. Her eyes glowed as she concentrated. "_jaunu identitāti_." Gwen's aura pulsed, but remained small as the spell took its course. Slowly but surely, the violet color began to turn to cream. The tendrils of light began to fade and instead wove together to form strands of copper and gold. Gwen's eyes widened and she shut them tight, almost as if she was in pain. Her fingers and toes curled. Her back arched. She let out a cry. Kevin winced, feeling her skin grow hot.

Then her skin was soft and supple as flesh appeared, the fresh pink color of a newborn child. The small, familiar features appeared. Her tiny nose, her full lips, long eye lashes and neatly trimmed eyebrows came back, shocking Hera, Max, Ben and Kevin, their breath catching and lodging in their throats. She was really coming back.

Everything was going to be okay.

It was really until she opened her emerald eyes that everyone could finally confirm this. Kevin felt his eyes burn and he clung to her hand. Her skin felt so warm against his, so gentle and fragile.

She opened her mouth, her perfect lips-they were always perfect- parting to speak. Her voice no longer had that hollow ring. It was her familiar smooth and soothing voice. "Am...am I good now?" she whispered, lifting a hand to Verdona. Verdona smiled, nodded and draped her naked body with the blanket.

"Better than good my child," Verdona cooed. "Perfect."

* * *

A/N: Thank you. I love every single one of you that back me up and bring me to finish this story with a smile on my face. I wish I could fulfill everyone's wants :) I hope you enjoy this!

Read and Review. And remember: Honesty is the best policy, but be smart about it. Or you will get owned.


	32. Epilouge

Imperfection

Epilouge

Her eyes wondered around the blank room. All of the cardboard boxes had been removed from the room and packed into the van where her parents waited. "I can't believe it," she breathed. "It took me until now to realize it, but...it's all over. I'm on my own."

"Not for long." The promise was assuring as two strong arm wrapped around her waist, her back snug against Kevin. "Ben will be there to join you."

She rolled her eyes. "Can you actually believe that _Ben_, Benjamin Kirby Tennyson, my annoying cousin, born the exact day as me, is attending _Harvard_?With _me_?"

"I would laugh if it weren't for the sheer fact that it's a nightmare come true." Kevin sighed heavily. "He'll never let it go. Do you guys have a class together?"

"Um..." She pondered. Did he have any classes with her? The only thing that she knew was he was excited about it. Understatement, but brag worthy enough for him to repeat it whenever they got together for a mission or a casual hangout. Still, it still shocked her. Ben was a straight B student, didn't have many Service Learning hours to graduate because of his position, and yet Drew Faust, President of Harvard, personally called him and asked for Ben's attendance. It irritated her, since it took her a sleepless week of studying for finals and finally getting an acceptance letter after all the extra Service Learning and extracurrical activites she had done to earn such a pretigious offer.

After the painful weeks of being torn apart by a power crazed uncle and a curious Prince, she had lost so much time. She wished she could just go back in time and tell herself to not take the drink from Clarise. She wished she didn't go to Anodine in the first place. _I just wanted to understand my abilites, strengths and weaknesses. Turned out that someone else was thinking just the same thing. _However, she was just fine now. She was human (some what). She could breathe, do normal things, and (sadly) have her period. Just like a normal human teenage girl.

_All's well that ends well. _

It made her smile, remembering when Ben first told her at her house. He had busted through the front door, not even bothering with knocking.

_"Gwen! I just got a call from President of Harvard!" _

_She couldn't wrap her mind around what just came out of his mouth. Neither could her parents. Her mom's coffee mug slipped from her hands and crashed on the clean wood floor. "Um...what?"_

_Ben was giddy with excitement, busting at the seams. "Yeah! I know right? It's totally crazy! He said he wanted _me _to go to Harvard. And guess what? He offered to pay for tuition, room and board-" _

_"That isn't fair!" Her father hissed. _

_Ben waved him off. "For _both_ of us!"_

_He let it sink in. He pulled her off the couch and spung her around in a celebratory hug, lifting her off the ground. "We're going to Harvard together cuz!"_

It would certainly be interesting.

"We have ten minutes," Kevin warned her. "So what do we do?"

"What do _you _want to do?"

He smiled and let go of her. He held out a wrapped gift. "Just a little gift for the college student."

"Oh, you didn't have to Kevin!"

"I did." She took it gently, and began to unwrap her present. As soon as she saw the clear glass case and bitten apple logo, she froze, gaping at him in shock. He smirked with satisfaction and kissed her on her gaping mouth. He closed her jaw, chuckling. "Since we only get to see each other over the breaks and airplane tickets are damn expensive, I figured FaceTime would be a nice little feature to have." He tilted his head, taking in her reaction. "You like?"

"I...I..."

"I take that as a yes." He pulled her close and kissed her again.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The green trees rolled together into a lush colored background, though it was blurred through her tears. Her mother pulled her in, resting Gwen's head on her shoulder. "You're going to have such a great time sweetheart." She turned to Frank, smiling weakly. "We should buy Mr. Faust a rather generous gift basket, don't you think?"

He didn't respond. He just stared at the road ahead, lips pursed.

"I'm going to miss you daddy."

"I'm going to miss you too."

She closed her eyes. She was going to miss everyone in Bellwood. She was going to miss Mom, Dad, Emily, Foster, Jenny, Ken, Julianna, and all the others. She was going to miss Verdona too. Max and Verdona were in California for a week long honeymoon. Long delayed, but they were together, and that was what mattered. Kevin would be working at the auto-shop, and it would be his to manage when he turned twenty, since Big Ed would be retiring soon. Kevin would have a stable job and he would live with his mother to keep her company. The economic troubles were in small towns like Bellwood too.

Ben's parents would be on their own. Sandra was balling her eyes out when Ben left, and Carl was tearing up. Sandra would be fine: she was a personal trainer and would be opening a small business. Apparently, many women were interested in the program and were waiting eagerly for Opening Day.

Gwen's father was busy with cases and her mother would be caught up in her numbers in Accounts Receivable. They would be busy.

Gwen was going to be far from home.

She smiled, opening her eyes. The van moved past the "Now Leaving Bellwood" sign.

Harvard was going to be her new home now, for at least four years. At least she was Earth, where she truly belonged.

* * *

A/N: LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE PROJECTS :D


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